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To play Splatoon 3 with friends online, go to X → Lobby, enter the battle pot, set the group option to With Friends, then create or join a room for Regular Battle or Anarchy Battle (Open). Choose Private Battle to control the stage and teams, or Salmon Run → Private Job for co-op waves. Each player needs a Nintendo Switch console and a copy of the game; online play also requires a Nintendo Account and Nintendo Switch Online membership.
Choose the right multiplayer mode
Friend groups can either enter public matchmaking together, arrange a private match, or team up against Salmonids. Anarchy Battle (Series) is the exception: it is a solo queue, not a way to queue as a group.
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| Mode | Group size and flow | Who controls the match? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Battle (Turf War) | Join a friend’s room and matchmaking fills the remaining places; the battle starts when eight players have joined. | Matchmaking chooses opponents and teams. Joining a friend’s battle does not guarantee that you will be on the same team. | Casual Turf War with friends. |
| Anarchy Battle (Open) | A party of two to four can join matchmaking through a friend’s room. | Matchmaking selects opponents; the mode rotates among Splat Zones, Tower Control, Rainmaker, and Clam Blitz. | Playing ranked modes as a group. |
| Anarchy Battle (Series) | Solo queue. | Matchmaking searches for a randomized team. | Playing Anarchy without a friend party. |
| Private Battle | Two to eight players online or through LAN, with up to two additional spectators. | The host sets the stage, mode, and teams. | A closed match with friends and custom choices. |
| Salmon Run | Up to four players cooperate; select Private Job to make a room with friends. | Players work together against waves of Salmonids. | Co-op rather than player-versus-player battles. |
Nintendo’s [multiplayer setup guide] documents the room and matchmaking flows. Its [online beginner guide] also notes that Private Battle can be played 4v4 or with fewer players, with spectators.
How to join a friend in Regular Battle
- From Splatsville’s main square, press X, then choose Lobby in the Map section.
- Enter the battle pot beside the Lobby Terminal.
- Use left or right on the left stick to set the group option to With Friends.
- Choose Regular Battle. To host, press Y to create a room. To join, select your friend’s room.
- Wait for matchmaking to fill the remaining slots. The battle begins when eight players have joined.
You can also use a friend’s hologram in The Lobby to drop in on their next battle or join an open room. Nintendo cautions that dropping in does not ensure you will be placed on the same team.
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Play Anarchy Battle with a friend group
Select Anarchy Battle (Open) rather than Series. Set the group option to With Friends, then create a room or select a friend’s room. Open accepts groups of two to four and matches them into one of the rotating Anarchy modes: Splat Zones, Tower Control, Rainmaker, or Clam Blitz. Series is for solo queueing.
Create a Private Battle
- Press X, choose Lobby, enter the battle pot, and select Private Battle.
- The host presses Y to create a room. Continue without a PIN, or press Y to set a three-digit PIN and share it with the intended players.
- Choose the stage and mode in the room options. Friends select the host’s joinable name and enter the PIN if the room uses one.
- The host selects Ready, assigns teams, and confirms. Each player selects Ready to start.
Private Battle is the option when the group wants to choose its stage and teams rather than rely on public matchmaking. The host can run a full 4v4 or a smaller match; up to two additional players can spectate online or through LAN.
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Play Salmon Run with friends
- Go to Grizzco and press L to open the match menu.
- Set the group option to With Friends.
- Select Private Job to create a room, or join a friend’s room.
- Once four players have joined and everyone is ready, the job begins.
Salmon Run is a cooperative mode for up to four players, not a player-versus-player battle.
What each player needs
- A console and game copy: each participant needs their own supported Nintendo Switch console and copy of Splatoon 3. The game does not offer split-screen multiplayer.
- For online play: each player needs a Nintendo Account and Nintendo Switch Online membership. Availability varies by country and Nintendo’s terms apply; see Nintendo’s Splatoon 3 gameplay information.
- For a PIN-protected Private Battle: the host shares the three-digit PIN with the invited players.
Local wireless and wired LAN alternatives
For nearby play without ordinary online matchmaking, Nintendo supports local wireless for Private Battles (two to eight players) and Salmon Run (two to four players). A Salmon Run session still has a maximum of four players.
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LAN play is a separate setup: connect each console by wire to the same shared router, then go to The Shoal and use the control-button sequence specified by Nintendo to enable LAN play. From there, choose Private Battle or Salmon Run and host or join a room. A LAN adapter is sold separately; a networking switch can provide more ports if the router does not have enough. See Nintendo’s LAN play instructions. These setups are optional; they are not needed for standard online friend matchmaking.
If you cannot see a friend’s room
Check the documented room flow before trying again:
- Confirm both players chose the same mode and are using With Friends where that option applies.
- Ask the host to create the room first, or confirm they are already in a joinable room.
- For a Private Battle with a PIN, check that the code was entered correctly.
- Confirm each player meets the online account and membership requirements if connecting online.
These checks follow the game’s documented setup steps; they are not a complete diagnosis of every connection problem.
Quick Recap
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