What Happens if You Keep Disconnecting in Splatoon 3? Startling Bans Up To Permanent

As an avid Splatoon player and content creator, I get many questions about Nintendo‘s notorious banning system. So what exactly happens if you keep prematurely disconnecting from online multiplayer matches? Well folks, it can lead to startling bans – even permanent ones if you‘re stubborn enough!

Nintendo takes a hard stance against disconnecting in Splatoon 3 and its predecessors. Repeat offenses lead to bans starting from 10 minutes, quickly escalating to days, weeks, or even complete permanent bans! Harsh, but it keeps the playing field fair.

Let‘s dive deeper into Splatoon‘s ban protocols, why Nintendo enforces them, and most importantly, how to avoid landing yourself in restriction purgatory…

Why So Strict? Nintendo‘s Rationale Behind Splatoon Bans

Before judging the ban hammer too harshly, consider Nintendo‘s rationale…

Splatoon is entirely built around 4v4 online multiplayer. Players disconnecting mid-match ruin the experience for everyone else trying to enjoy a fair game. It‘s incredibly disruptive whether it‘s intentional or just shoddy internet.

Compare to popular shooters like Call of Duty or Valorant – they‘ll typically just backfill disconnected players with new ones. But Nintendo intentionally designed Splatoon around fully coordinated 4v4 squad matches. So there are no replacements mid-game.

That means every disconnect critically impacts match performance. Imagine building your perfect tower in Jenga, only for someone to abruptly pull out a block from the bottom. Infuriating!

Now scale that frustration out to millions of online matches. Nintendo had to get strict to keep things fun. Similar to how expired food ruins a buffet for everyone, a few bad apples disconnecting can spoil the fun for many.

So while the bans seem harsh compared to other games, it powerfully incentives stable connections and sportsmanship. When it works, the Splatoon community stays fresher longer!

Duration of Bans for Repeated Splatoon Disconnects

Alright, let‘s see what the punishment tiers actually look like for repeat disconnecting offenses:

As you can see, the durations get longer exponentially with each banning round. While Nintendo hasn‘t publicly shared the exact algorithm, patterns from player reports show accelerated time jumps between each offense level.

This table is my best estimate based on compiling countless community reports of ban durations at various thresholds. The exact minutes may vary slightly, but you get the idea…

Nintendo does NOT mess around. Each time you get banned, the next one doubles in length. So why risk it?

What Actually Triggers a Ban in Splatoon 3?

Now what online behaviors will land you in ban prison with this ruthless system?

Any disconnect from an online 4v4 match carries ban risk, no matter why it happened.

That includes:

• Manually disconnecting or quitting a match
• Going idle/AFK mid-match
• Losing internet connection
• Forced disconnects from cheating detection
• Console crashing or powering off

Again, NO reason for disconnecting is exempt. Nintendo knows even technical problems ruin matches, so accidental bans still help incentive connection stability.

After an unknown threshold of disconnects within a set time period, automated bans kick in. This algorithm remains hidden to keep players honest instead of trying to game the system.

I can confidently say based on crowd-sourced reports that around 5-10 premature disconnects in a 1-2 week span often triggers first bans.

But again, we don‘t know the exact thresholds. All we know is repeated disconnecting = escalating punishments.

Avoid Bans! How to Stay Connected & Avoid Disrupting Matches

Alright, with so much at stake, what’s the best way to avoid accidental disconnects leading to these brutal bans?

Firstly, PLAY ETHERNET IF AT ALL POSSIBLE! Seriously folks, Splatoon is extremely fast paced and competitive. Even great WiFi can have momentary blips that boot you mid-match before you can cry over spilled ink.

I have rock solid full-signal WiFi and still got banned once from a random connection burp. Never again after I hard-wired with Ethernet!

But if WiFi is your only option, follow these tips to optimize connectivity:

Internet Setup:

• Position your Switch as close to wireless router/modem as possible
• Ensure router firmware is updated for security and performance fixes
• Reboot router and Switch before longer play sessions
• Set Switch DNS to reliable public servers like Google or Cloudflare

Console Setup:

• Check internet connection speeds in System Settings
• Close any suspended software or background apps
• Disable automatic sleep mode for uninterrupted matches
• Dock Switch into TV/monitor to prevent battery drain

Match Precautions:

• Remain active in lobby & matches to avoid AFK drops
• Charge Switch battery before starting just in case
• Save replays and new gear between longer sessions
• Only play ranked modes if connection is very stable

Follow those tips and you‘ll give yourself the best odds for lag-free uninterrupted play. But also brace for the occasional random issue – it happens to everyone eventually!

If you DO get banned, just patiently wait out the duration and be extra cautious about disruptions when you return. The ban levels reset about every 1-2 weeks if you remain disconnect-free.

I know it’s frustrating, but them’s the rules when playing Nintendo’s ultra-strict-yet-beloved inky playground!

Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments! And stay fresh out there 🙂