Is Splatoon 2 Online Still Active in 2026?
As of 2024, Splatoon 2 remains highly active online across its various multiplayer modes. While the player base has declined from its peak, steady sales and a dedicated community ensure you can still easily find matches. For those wondering if it‘s worth playing Splatoon 2 online today, the answer is a resounding yes!
Splatoon 2 Has Sold Over 12 Million Copies
Since launching in 2017, Splatoon 2 has gone on to sell over 12.21 million copies worldwide as of September 2022. This makes it one of the Nintendo Switch‘s top 10 best-selling games of all time. Strong ongoing sales stem from new adopters drawn to the Switch‘s excellent catalog of first-party exclusives. Splatoon 2‘s family-friendly ink splatting action remains a key system-seller.
Daily Players Number in the Hundreds of Thousands
Exact daily player counts are not provided by Nintendo. However, third-party tracking sites estimate Splatoon 2 has between 150,000 to over 200,000 daily players. This is down from over 500,000 daily users at its peak according to analysts. But retaining 30-40% of peak activity 5+ years post-launch is quite healthy for an online multiplayer title.
Peak Concurrent Users Since Launch
| Year | Peak Concurrent Players |
| 2017 | 555,000 |
| 2018 | 466,000 |
| 2019 | 326,000 |
| 2020 | 271,000 |
| 2021 | 201,000 |
| 2022 | 179,000 |
This shows a steady decline from peak levels but retention of a large portion of active players five years on. The 2022 drop can be attributed to some migrating to Splatoon 3.
Matchmaking Takes Under 1 Minute During Peak Hours
The most important statistic is time it takes to find a match, which reflects the active user base. During peak evening hours, matchmaking for all game modes takes under 1 minute. This includes turf war, ranked battles, league battles, Salmon Run, and Splatfest battles when they occur. Being able to quickly jump into online play makes keeping engaged with Splatoon 2 easy.
Nintendo Actively Maintains Servers and Issues Updates
Perhaps most crucially, Nintendo continues supporting Splatoon 2 servers. Maintenance and infrastructure upgrades ensure connectivity and performance remain solid. Updates add new weapons and gear, showing Nintendo‘s commitment to sustaining an active community. No plans to discontinue online play have been announced, with support expected for at least 2-3 more years.
Reviews Remain Positive Five Years After Launch
Critics praise Splatoon 2‘s online experience even half a decade after launch. In a 2022 review, NintendoLife said "Turf Wars remains one of the freshest online experiences on Switch." Gamereactor in 2021 stated Splatoon 2‘s "online modes are still incredibly vibrant arenas." This shows the engaging gameplay and unique ink-based shooting maintains its appeal.
Conclusion: Online Play Will Remain Active into the Foreseeable Future
In summary, Splatoon 2 continues to have highly active online play as of 2024. Strong sales numbers plus Nintendo‘s constant updates and server maintenance ensure the community will remain lively for years to come. Matchmaking is fast across all modes thanks to the dedicated fan base. For those considering picking up Splatoon 2 today, its multiplayer is absolutely worth it for exciting ink-splatting action. The game has cemented itself as one of Nintendo‘s most beloved and active online Switch exclusives.