Rainmaker

Rainmaker is a Ranked Battle mode in Splatoon that was announced in the Splatoon Direct on May 7, 2015 and was added on August 14th at 7pm PT.

History
Rainmaker was first announced in the Splatoon Direct on May 7, 2015. However, its description was extremely vague and only a picture of the Rainmaker itself was released. The weapon was later shown in action in a Nintendo Japan Splatoon commercial, late in July 2015. Months before the mode was released, it was leaked how Rainmaker mode would work. Rainmaker was then finally released on August 14, 2015.

Description
"In Rainmaker, both teams compete to snag the Rainmaker. Once you've got it, the goal is to carry it into the other team's base! So as soon as the battle begins, grab that Rainmaker! It's guarded by a shield, though, so you'll need to bust it out first. Once you snag it, head for the other team's base. And be quick about it! If you run out of time or get splatted, the Rainmaker will be dropped. Its shield will also reactivate. The Rainmaker is crazy heavy, so you can't Super Jump while carrying it. Your teammates will have to watch your back! The Rainmaker can also shoot ink like an Inkzooka, so you can clear a path! The closer you get to the enemy base while holding the Rainmaker, the lower your goal distance will drop. If the battle ends without anyone carrying the Rainmaker to the goal, the team with the lowest goal distance will win!"

- In-game description



Rainmaker is similar to Tower Control in that it requires teams to move a certain object to a point in the other team's base. However, in Rainmaker, only one player may have control of the Rainmaker, and they themselves must control where it goes. The device is encased in a shield similar to a Zapfish's bubble in Octo Valley, and must be freed before it can be captured. If one team bursts the shield, all Inklings of the other team caught in the blast radius are instantly splatted. Touching an intact shield causes a small amount of damage.

The Rainmaker itself is capable of shooting large twisters of ink, like an Inkzooka, allowing the player in control to have a form of defense. The player holding the Rainmaker also has a marker on them for everyone with clear line of sight towards them, to see, making them a huge target. This even applies when swimming in ink, so wielders must be cautious of their surroundings.

Because the Rainmaker is so heavy, the player holding it cannot Super Jump, nor use any of their sub or special weapons. If it is dropped, its shield will reform around it. It can then be recaptured by any player on both teams.

Trivia

 * The Rainmaker weapon resembles a tiger/fish with a nozzle in its mouth, known in Japan as a Shachihoko.
 * Details of Rainmaker were datamined on June 21st, 2015.
 * Images of Rainmaker being played on an unnamed stage were revealed in the July 24th Japanese Splatoon trailer detailing future updates.
 * The Rainmaker itself is the only weapon that cannot be bought or equipped.
 * After 60 seconds, or when a player approaches their own base, the Rainmaker will explode and it will say "The Rainmaker Inksploded".
 * A player going towards their own base with the Rainmaker brings up a "Don't Retreat!" message and causes the Rainmaker's timer to decrease more quickly.
 * When in motion, the Rainmaker carrier will be expressionless. When still, they make a big smile.