Despite its vibrant aesthetic, the Splatoon series presents a surprisingly dark and intricate post-apocalyptic narrative. Twelve millennia ago, humanity faced an environmental crisis that led to rising sea levels. With governments failing to address the situation, a combination of natural disasters and a potential man-made cataclysm, possibly involving a bomb that destroyed Antarctica, submerged the planet. Survivors were forced into underground domes, including a massive structure known as Alterna, while others fled to space aboard the Ark Polaris.
A desperate scientific initiative aimed to enable humanity's eventual return to Earth's surface. This involved research into the psychic properties of liquid crystals found in squids and the creation of an AI designed to preserve knowledge for future generations. In a peculiar twist, a professor also made his cat, Judd, immortal and cryogenically froze him for scientific purposes.
Ultimately, these efforts to save humanity failed. The leaders of Alterna initiated an extinction event by constructing a rocket called the Spirit Lifter, intended to transport humans back to the surface. However, a test launch tragically backfired, igniting the liquid crystals stored in Alterna and leading to the extinction of the human race.
Following humanity's demise, the world remained largely dormant for 10,000 years. As the sea levels eventually receded, nature began to reclaim the land. The incident at Alterna had a profound impact on evolution; the liquid crystals dispersed into the oceans and were ingested by marine life. These creatures inherited the latent human traits from the crystals, leading to a remarkable evolutionary leap.
Sea creatures eventually evolved to walk on land, including an advanced squid species considered the evolutionary link to the Inklings seen in the games. Simultaneously, a race descended from octopi, the Octarians, also emerged. This period marked the beginning of the Mollusc Era, with early Inklings settling in the region around Alterna, which became known as the Splatlands. Over time, cities like Inkopolis and Splatsville were founded. During this era, the crew of the damaged Ark Polaris attempted to return to Earth after 10,000 years adrift, while Judd the cat was eventually freed from his cryogenic stasis.
The Mollusc Era eventually saw rising sea levels once again, straining relations between the Octarians and Inklings over dwindling land resources. This conflict escalated into the Great Turf War. Though the Octarians, with their formidable Great Octoweapons, nearly achieved victory, the Inklings ultimately triumphed. The Octarians were relegated to living underground in abandoned human shelters, while the Inklings entered an age of prosperity, fueled by the discovery of the electricity-generating Great Zapfish.
To commemorate their victory, the Inklings transformed warfare into sport with Turf Wars, which became a national pastime. Judd was appointed as the official judge for these battles, and rising celebrities Callie and Marie became the anchors for Inkopolis News, covering the Turf War events. Commerce flourished, and a vibrant music scene emerged, bringing a period of relative peace for the Inklings.
However, this peace was short-lived. The Octarians sought revenge by stealing the Great Zapfish, leading to the formation of the New Squidbeak Splatoon to recover it from Octo Valley. This event served as the basis for Splatoon's first single-player campaign, where Agent 3 successfully retrieved the Zapfish, defeated the Great Octoweapons, and apprehended DJ Octavio. Two years later, the Great Zapfish was stolen again, and Callie disappeared, setting the stage for Splatoon 2's single-player mode. Agent 4 was recruited to resolve these issues, thwarting DJ Octavio once more and freeing Callie from his mind control.
It was also revealed that humanity's dormant AI had become corrupted over 12,000 years. Now known as Commander Tartar, it sought to destroy all existing life on Earth to create a new species. To achieve this, it established the Kamabo Corporation and began harvesting DNA from test subjects. Agent 8, with assistance from Marina and Pearl, another popular duo, thwarted Tartar's plan in Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion.
Before Splatoon 2's events, the Ark Polaris returned to Earth, though all its occupants perished except for a bear, Mr. Grizz, who had become intelligent during his journey. Upon arrival, he founded Grizzco Industries with the objective of harvesting Golden Eggs. Inklings would take shifts at Grizzco, defending against waves of Salmonids, a migratory fish species that appears in Inkopolis every 70 years.
More recently, Splatoon 3's "Return of the Mammalians" campaign revealed that Mr. Grizz, not DJ Octavio, was responsible for the latest Great Zapfish disappearance. His motive was to re-establish mammals as Earth's dominant species by spreading Fuzzy Ooze across the planet, a goal he intended to achieve using a Golden Egg-powered rocket. An Inkling from the Splatlands, aided by the pop music trio Deep Cut, ultimately thwarted his plans.
While the extensive lore might seem daunting, it's worth noting that deep knowledge of these past events isn't strictly necessary to enjoy Splatoon Raiders. The game primarily focuses on treasure hunting, though collectible scrolls do offer insights into the world, such as the economic struggles of Splatsville. The narrative of Splatoon Raiders sees Deep Cut accompanying an Inkling mechanic to the Spirhalite Islands. A storm leaves them stranded, forcing them to battle Salmonids while searching for treasure. The full game promises further exploration of Inkling history for those eager to uncover more of Nintendo's uniquely strange world.