When Did Splatoon 1 Come Out? An Ink-Redible Legacy Begins

Splatoon 1 splashed onto the scene for Nintendo‘s Wii U console on May 28, 2015 in North America, marking a brightly-colored new era for Nintendo‘s catalog. This creative 3rd person ink-based shooter became a surprise hit, establishing one of Nintendo‘s freshest new franchises.

What made the original Splatoon so unique and why did it make such an impact as a console exclusive during the Wii U‘s twilight years? Grab your Splat Roller and let’s recap how it all began for these squid kids!

The Road to Launch: Nintendo’s New Idea

In 2013, Nintendo producer Hisashi Nogami and a small development team began testing out prototype ideas for new intellectual property after completing work on Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

The goal was to create something that took advantage of the Wii U Gamepad for asymmetric multiplayer. Early experiments involved spraying ink-like Territories to navigate. By 2014, the core ink-based shooter concept was formed and Splatoon was unveiled through a surprise teaser trailer at E3 2014, leaving fans excited and intrigued.

At the time, military shooters dominated much of the genre. Splatoon’s kid-friendly cartoon aesthetics and entirely new ink mechanics made it a risky, envelope-pushing concept for Nintendo. Few could have predicted it would become a franchise pillar during the Switch era.

Critical Reception & Initial Sales

When review embargoes lifted a couple weeks before release, Splatoon received widespread critical acclaim for its eye-catching style and innovations to the shooter genre formula:

Critics praised the refreshing gameplay, character of Inkopolis, and maintenance updates providing new maps/weapons for free. Some common critiques included the initial lack of content and slow unlock process for various multiplayer modes and gear.

Commercially, the game became a sleeper hit – the kind that builds word of mouth momentum before exploding in popularity. Here’s a sales timeline:

• 1 Million copies sold worldwide by August 2015
• 2 Million by July 2016
• Over 4 Million total as of early 2017

For a new IP on Nintendo’s least successful home console, these numbers exceeded expectations. Splatoon expanded the Wii U library with an exclusive that appealed beyond Nintendo’s usual family demographic.

Ongoing Impact & Legacy

It’s incredible to consider the empire Splatoon has built in just 8 years time since release. As a franchise, Splatoon now includes:

• 3 Main Games (Wii U, Switch x2)
• Manga Series
• Prominent Character Cameos (Mario Kart, Smash Bros)
• Global Splatfest Events & Concerts
• Tons of Merchandise (Amiibo, Clothing, Comics)

As an innovator for online shooters, that initial risky concept of “ink-based territory battles” created an iconic gameplay loop refined through sequels but never forgotten. Splatoon continues introducing new generations to this colorful world where squids meet hip-hop street culture.

The Final Splatfest Curtain Call

All good things must come to end eventually. In July 2019, the Splatocalypse arrived when the final Splatfest took place in Splatoon 1 pitting Team Callie vs Team Marie. Fans carried their idols to victory one last time before Nintendo discontinued online services. Players can still enjoy single player Hero Mode to this day though.

So there you have it – the full backstory on Splatoon 1! Who would have thought Inklings would become so popular when trailers first revealed that 2015 release date? We owe massive respect to visionaries like Hisashi Nogami at Nintendo for creating this unique IP. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to go splat some Octolings in Splatoon 3!