Region and localization

In the context of the Splatoon series, region refers to the games' region setting, which affects which players a player could get matched with; the system aims to match on a worldwide scale geographically close players as often as possible to maximize stability, and uses the region system to achieve this. The region system is also sometimes used to define region-exclusive content, such as pieces of gear or Splatfest events.

Localization refers to the different languages games in the Splatoon series are available in; the term in general refers to the ways in which content is altered to suit its geographically different target audience.

Region refers to the IRL geographical location of players playing Splatoon series. It is a system of dividing groups of players to optimize their ping connection, as well as limit the

Copies of Splatoon and Splatoon 2 feature varying degrees of region-lock restrictions, while Splatoon 3 does not.

• how to swap languages per game

List of region-locked content in Splatoon 2

The following Splatfests were only available in certain regions:

The following pieces of gear were only available in certain regions: Sennyu Bon Bon Beanie Sennyu Goggles Sennyu Headphones Sennyu Inksoles Sennyu Specs Sennyu Suit Koshien Bandana Mecha Body - AKM Mecha Head - HTR Mecha Legs - LBS Milky Eminence Jacket Milky Enperrials Octo Support Hoodie

All copies of the game can view other players wearing this gear + localized names of the gear, but the codes required to unlock them are incompatible with all but JPN region cartridges

List of region-locked content in Splatoon 3

screenshot of the region choosing screens (tutorial + terminal) The following Splatfest was only available in certain regions:

List of localizations

Localization	Games			Other
				Official social media
Chinese (Simplified)			✓	✓ As of S3
German	✓	✓	✓	✓ As of
English (United Kingdom)	✓	✓	✓	✓ As of S
Spanish (Europe)		✓	✓	✓ As of
French (Europe)	✓	✓	✓	✓ As of
Italian	✓	✓	✓	✓ As of
Dutch		✓	✓	✓ As of
Russian		✓	✓
Japanese	✓	✓	✓	✓ As of S
Korean			✓	✓ As of S3
Chinese (Traditional)			✓	✓ As of
Spanish (Latin America)	✓	✓	✓	✓ As of
English (United States)	✓	✓	✓	✓ As of S
French (Canada)	✓	✓	✓	✓ As of
Portuguese (Portugal)				✓ As of S3?

Splatoon regions

Both the Wii U system and its game discs were region-locked. The Wii U system could only run games with regions that matched its internal region setting; the different regional copies of consoles and games were distributed according to their real-life geographical region. Mismatched region-locked hardware and software are not compatible. For example, a Wii U bought in Japan (NTSC-J) will not run a copy of Splatoon bought in the United States (NTSC-U).

The Wii U's internal region setting nor its region-lock restrictions may not be changed without use of hacking.

Wii U regional variations

Region code	Equivalent real-life region
NTSC-J	Asia
NTSC-U	Americas
PAL	Europe, Oceania, Africa, Middle East

Note that the region codes "NTSC" and "PAL" originally referred to differences in irl regional television frequencies, but within the context of video games, over time primarily are used to refer to regional release variants.

Different localizations are present depending on which type of Splatoon disc; certain gear and Splatfest events were exclusive to certain regions.

Splatoon regional variations

Region name	In-game region	Available localizations
JPN (NTSC-J)	Asia region	Japanese
USA (NTSC-U)	Americas region	English (United States), Spanish (Latin America), French (Canada)
EU (PAL)	Europe, Oceania region	English (United Kingdom), French (France), German, Italian

Splatoon 2 regions

The Nintendo Switch system removed the region-locked restrictions present in the Wii U; as such, any Switch game cartridge or E-shop purchase is compatible with any Switch system.

The system's region setting may be freely changed in its settings.

Despite the removal of region-lock restrictions, individual cartridges of certain games contain region-lock information; Splatoon 2 is one of the affected titles. Unlike the Wii U's region-lock system, Splatoon 2 mismatched region-locked hardware and software are compatible; the region-lock restriction serves to limit the amount of localization data available to the player per regional copy of the game. As such, certain gear and Splatfest events were locked per-region, similar to Splatoon's system.

Oceania was notably "moved" to be a part of the Americas region.

Splatoon 2 regional variantions

Region name	In-game region	Available localizations
JPN (NTSC-J)	Asia region	Japanese
USA (NTSC-U)	Americas, Oceania region	English (United States), Spanish (Latin America), French (Canada)
EU (PAL)	Europe region	English (United Kingdom), Spanish (Spain), French (France), German, Italian, Dutch, Russian

Splatoon 3 regions

Splatoon 3 removes the region-lock restrictions present in the previous games, but still contains two sets of region options.

All localization options are available in any copy of the game, regardless of region option. Only in instances of region-exclusive Splatfests is there ever missing text, which is typically replaced with the other region's text by default.

Oceania was notably "moved" once again.

Referred to as "Splatfest regions" , the regions are split into:

• Japan
• The Americas
• Europe
• Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, S. Korea

This regional choice affects which regional players the player is more likely to get matched with in all online gameplay modes except X Battle.

X Battle offers a separate region choice, referred to as "divisions":

• Takoroka Division covering players from Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand
• Tentatek Division covering players from United States, South America, and Europe

This regional choice affects which regional players the player is more likely to get matched with exclusively in X Battle; additionally scores are measured separately between teh two divisions, and as such two separate sets of badges become available depending on the player's choice of division

List of available localizations in Splatoon 3

• Chinese (Simplified)
• German
• English (United Kingdom)
• Spanish (Europe)
• French (Europe)
• Italian
• Dutch
• Russian
• Japanese
• Korean
• Chinese (Traditional)
• Spanish (Latin America)
• English (United States)
• French (Canada)