Final ‘Splatoon’ Splatfest event pits Callie against Marie

By Danny Cowan Published June 30, 2016

Splatoon‘s sixteenth Splatfest will be its last, as Nintendo announced that the final community event for its ink-slinging Wii U third-person shooter will take place worldwide in July.

The final Splatfest will pit in-game commentators Callie and Marie against one another in a popularity contest, and the top Splatoon players from all regions will be honored in one last showcase event.

Recommended Videos

“We’ve had 15 inkredible Splatfests so far!” Nintendo announced. “Time and time again, we’ve heard you pledge allegiance not to your favorite team choice, but to your favorite Squid Sister. Now, it’s time to show your support in the Squid Sisters Showdown! The theme is: Are you Team Callie or Team Marie?”

As in previous Splatfest events, players will pick a side to represent in a weekend series of Splatoon multiplayer battles. A winner will be determined based on popularity and player victories. All participating players will receive stat-boosting items at the event’s conclusion, with bonuses awarded to members of the winning team.

Previous Splatfest events in North America include “Burgers vs. Pizza,” “Cats vs. Dogs,” and the Transformers franchise tie-in “Autobots vs. Decepticons.” In February, Nintendo asked longtime fans to pick a favorite first-generation Pokemon game; Pokemon Blue came out on top as the preferred choice among veteran players.

Nintendo announced that it will pay tribute to Splatoon die-hards by honoring the final Splatfest’s top 100 players in each region.

“Players in Japan will be matched up with those in Japan, and the players in North America and Europe will be matched up with each other,” Nintendo explains. “The Top 100 Players will also be tallied and announced separately for Japan region and for North America and Europe regions. Though the results will be collected from all regions, they will be combined together and announced at the same time.”

Splatoon‘s last Splatfest event will kick off on Friday, July 22, at 2 a.m. PT. Festivities will conclude on Sunday, July 24. Splatoon players with a Nintendo Network ID will be invited to vote for the final Splatfest’s featured stages in the days leading up to the event.

Former Contributor

Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…

Topics

Gaming

Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme could be the plot twist handheld gaming needed

My time with the MSI Claw and Acer Predator Atlas suggests AMD finally has genuine competition.

Intel Arc G3 Extreme Hands On with Acer Predator Atlas 8

If there’s one gadget category I’ve spent an unhealthy amount of time obsessing over in the past few years, it’s handheld gaming PCs. I’ve put hundreds of hours into the Steam Deck, bought an original ROG Ally for myself, and most recently reviewed the ROG Xbox Ally X in depth. I’ve seen this market evolve from a cool experiment into something that can genuinely replace a gaming laptop for quick sessions on the couch or while travelling. I’ve also experienced its biggest weakness firsthand. No matter how good these machines get, there’s always some compromise lurking around the corner, whether it’s battery life, thermals, performance, or software quirks.

So when I landed at Computex 2026 and got the chance to spend time with Acer’s brand-new Predator Atlas 8 and MSI’s latest Claw 8 EX AI+, I was naturally excited. Not just because they looked cool, but because they represented something the handheld market desperately needed: real competition. Truth be told, Intel’s new Arc G3 Extreme processor might just be the most important handheld announcement we’ve seen in years. And honestly? It’s about time.

Gaming

Xbox’s next era may start with a painful question about console prices

A new Xbox Wire post points to surging parts costs, tighter supply, and more pressure on future console pricing.

Xbox is putting unusual pressure on its own console business, and a new Xbox Wire post gives players a clear reason to watch for an Xbox price hike.

Microsoft says storage and memory prices are climbing fast, while Xbox can’t currently make as many consoles as players want to buy. It also says the business needs a new hardware model and new partnerships as it remains committed to Helix.

Gaming

Steam is ending gift cards because scammers were raising too much hell

Digital gift cards will remain, but physical cards are being retired from stores

Steam gift cards.

Valve is pulling physical Steam gift cards from retail stores, bringing an end to a program that has been around since 2012. The company confirmed, as spotted via SteamDB, that it will no longer send new stock of Steam gift cards to retailers once current supplies run out.

Digital Steam gift cards are not going away. Valve says users will still be able to buy them directly through Steam, and existing physical cards can still be redeemed whenever users choose. Retail stock, however, is expected to disappear by the end of 2026.