Grizzco Industries (often shortened to simply Grizzco) is a company in Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3, run by Mr. Grizz. The company recruits Inklings and Octolings to participate in Salmon Runs and collect Golden Eggs in exchange for various reward capsules depending on their performance. All employees are given an Employee Handbook to read at the beginning of their careers. In Splatoon 2, the company has a building in Inkopolis Square, and in Splatoon 3, it has new buildings in Splatsville and Inkopolis Plaza in addition to its original location; these buildings serve as hubs for employees and contain radios through which Mr. Grizz gives orders. Certain gear items can only be obtained as Salmon Run rewards; these items have Grizzco as their gear brand, and all of them are rare and cannot be ordered via Murch or Spyke. Additionally, certain music is released under the band name Grizzco Industries (in Splatoon 2) or Grizzco (in Splatoon 3), most of which is Salmon Run music; it was revealed in a developer interview that Grizzco outsources this music rather than producing it directly.[1]
Following the defeat of Mr. Grizz, his voice can still be heard through the replaced radio. This may be due to his lines being pre-recorded or automated, as was suggested in a developer interview.[2]
The Grizzco gear brand produces all gear awarded in Salmon Run. Grizzco produces headgear, clothing, and shoes. Grizzco gear does not favor any secondary ability and, uniquely, is assigned with a random primary ability that can also appear as a secondary ability. Grizzco gear cannot be ordered from Murch or Spyke.
In Splatoon 2, Grizzco gear tends to takes on a more "protective" fashion style, with much of the gear being based on safety equipment (ex. the Anchor Life Vest or Oceanic Hard Hat). Many of the clothes are related to companies, such as the Squiddor Polo having the mascot of iShipit, and the Juice Parka having the logo from Saltspray Rig.
One piece of gear is an exception to both of these rules, the Online Jersey. It is not awarded through Salmon Run (rather, it is obtained via a code received when making a twelve-month online subscription), nor is it working gear or a collaboration item. Instead, it was given the Grizzco branding since the real-life uniform worn by the winners of the Splatoon 2 World Championship 2018 it is based on had the Grizzco logo imprinted on it. It also has a primary ability that is not random, making this gear the only Grizzco gear in Splatoon 2 that has this distinction.
In Splatoon 3, new Grizzco's gear strongly resembles "futuristic" fashion as seen in 1980s movie franchises, such as Back to the Future. Returning gear is still based on safety equipment.
During wildcard rotations, one or more of Mr. Grizz's personal weapons are accidentally added to the mix.[3] Grizzco weapons are tweaked versions of normal weapons with much more powerful stats. The following weapons have been available:
As stated by Squid Research Lab, these weapons belong to Mr. Grizz, who issued a statement asking workers not to steal it or alert the media to its existence, under threat of immediate termination of their employment.[4] This may indicate that the weapons are produced illegally.
Songs
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You can help the wiki by filling in the blanks. Reason: Add Splatoon 2 trailer theme ("Get The Shining Future! (A Message from Grizzco Industries – Background Music)") and pre-Xtrawave jingle
The area where the player can claim their bonuses has a picture of an Inkling in an early version of the outfit players wear in Salmon Run, with orange gloves and hat and white boots.[5]
Grizzco has a number of aspects commonly associated with Japanese toxic workplaces (also known as "black companies"):
The recruitment commercial advertises the company using vague platitudes like "change the world" and "creating the future" instead of specifically describing what the job entails, dishonestly covering up any dangerous aspects and implying a vague corporate structure. In addition, Mr. Grizz occasionally says vague, abstract things about the sea, and in the Japanese version he speaks with a veneer of unnerving politeness towards his employees, both of which are evocative of bosses in such companies attempting to placate their staff with ostensible politeness in order to distract from the shadiness of the job.
The company hires anyone and everyone without checking for qualifications or experience, and the "turnover rate" is high with employees being picked up and dropped on a whim, resulting in most of the employees being easily preyed-upon young teenagers.
Payment "bonuses" being handed out in capsules, which the Inkopolis Square branch has its employees redeem via a booth separate from the building itself, is a reference to the "three-store system", a well-known way for pachinko parlors to skirt around Japanese laws regarding gambling for cash. The system involves the pachinko parlor making its payouts to players using "prizes" instead of cash, thereby allowing it to pass itself off as a game center instead of a gambling parlor, but also "conveniently" being next to a pawn shop and wholesaler that allow pachinko players to cash in the prizes and circulate the "prize" back to the parlor. Further evoking this is the fact that, in Splatoon 2, the player can swap out gear duplicates for cash in the same way a pachinko player would swap out a prize.
After Return of the Mammalians in Splatoon 3 is completed, Agent 2 can say, "Who is running Grizzco Industries these days? It's business as usual, even now!", referencing Mr. Grizz's defeat.
In Splatoon 3, Li'l Judd seems to be connected to Grizzco Industries, as he gains an earpiece only after Mr. Grizz is defeated in Return of the Mammalians. Additionally, his deck in Tableturf Battle is made entirely of Salmonid cards with Grizzco card sleeves. A pen holder that seems to be based on the fur patterns of Judd and Li'l Judd can also be found inside of Grizzco's building. The Art of Splatoon 3 further suggests this, with concept art of Li'l Judd depicting him with a lifesaver around his neck and wearing a Grizzco-branded eyepatch.
Etymology
Grizzco is a portmanteau of "grizzly", as in grizzly bear, and "Co." for company.