Salmon Run Next Wave

Salmon Run Next Wave

Salmon Run Next Wave

Type	Online Multiplayer Local Multiplayer
Players	1-4
Ranked
Weapons
Controllers	Joy-Con Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Release Date	Launch

For this mode's first iteration in Splatoon 2, see Salmon Run.

Salmon Run Next Wave, also known simply as Salmon Run, is a co-op multiplayer mode in Splatoon 3 for up to four players. It is the sequel to Salmon Run in Splatoon 2 and was revealed on 9 February 2022 during a Nintendo Direct.

Description

Like in Splatoon 2, each Salmon Run shift consists of three waves; to complete each wave, players must collect Golden Eggs by defeating Boss Salmonids and depositing them at the egg basket to reach a given quota. Unless otherwise noted, each Boss Salmonid yields three Golden Eggs when splatted. If they are not picked up, a Snatcher will fly over after a few seconds to retrieve them.

Each player can carry only one Golden Egg at a time. While carrying a Golden Egg, players can press or to perform an Egg Throw, launching the Golden Egg in an arc similar to thrown bombs. This requires the same amount of ink as a Splat Bomb to perform, but not as much ink is actually used and there is no ink-recovery lag. Performing the Egg Throw also causes a small explosion of ink around the player that deals 100 damage to Salmonids and inks a small area around the player.

If the egg is thrown directly into the egg basket, it is collected: otherwise, it remains on the ground where it lands and does not roll. Throwing a Golden Egg into the water results in it bouncing back to where it was thrown from; if it hits a wall or a Salmonid, it is deflected and changes its trajectory. Any player may pick up a Golden Egg as normal after it has been thrown.

The quota for each of the three waves depends on the number of players present and their ranks. If the quota is not filled before the wave timer ends or the team is wiped out, their shift is terminated. After a shift ends, players are rewarded Grizzco Points based on the amount of Power Eggs and Golden Eggs collected, which can be exchanged for bonuses. All players' ranks increase by 20 points after clearing a shift, unless they are playing with a friend with a lower job title than themselves (note that Profreshionals can gain points with Eggsecutive VPs since version 1.1.1). Similarly, failing a shift reduces all participants' ranks by between 0 and 20 points based on the number of waves cleared (-20 points on the first wave, -10 on the second, and 0 on the third; the deduction is halved if at least one teammate has disconnected). Thus, failing a shift on wave 3 does not change participants' ranks.

The hazard level of a shift determines both the difficulty of the shift, such as how many bosses spawn in a time period, and determines the odds of getting silver or gold scales from an Xtrawave encounter. The hazard level is determined by a formula using the combined rank of all players in the shift. The hazard level for a completed shift can be checked by opening the Recent Jobs list from the menu in Grizzco or via SplatNet 3 (note that the display is rounded to the nearest integer but not internally), which can be used to estimate what the hazard level of the next shift will be. The maximum hazard level possible is 333%, which can only occur for a team whose ranks average Eggsecutive VP 865 or above.

Equipment for collecting eggs is provided by Grizzco, including a Grizzco uniform and a lifesaver, as well as a different supplied main weapon for each wave and two uses of a single special weapon for each shift. When players are splatted, their lifesaver appears at their last position and a teammate can revive them by inking them. Ink level and special weapon uses are displayed visually, with the lifesaver serving as an ink tank with markings, and the player's two specials appearing as packets on their headgear. Additionally, a notification saying "One player left!" now appears when only 1 player is still alive.

Known Occurrences return from Splatoon 2, with new ones being added, such as Mudmouth Eruptions and Giant Tornado.^[1] Additionally, an event called Big Run, where Salmonids invade inhabited cities, happen once every few months and take place on battle stages.^[2] There are also occasional Eggstra Work shifts, being 5 waves long on a fixed job scenario, with the aim being to retrieve as many Golden Eggs as possible.^[3]

The difficulty of Salmon Run Next Wave is considerably higher than Salmon Run in Splatoon 2, with the hazard level, quota, and spawn rates increasing drastically, partially due to the ability to throw Golden Eggs, and the new mobility provided by moves such as Squid Surging and Squid Rolling. Because of this, the game can begin to slow at higher levels unless players maintain control of the bosses. Prior to version 6.0.0, players no longer reset to 400 upon the termination of a rotation, instead resetting back to 40, making the time taken to reach max hazard level and EVP 999 much longer.

Xtrawave

Main article: Xtrawave

Occasionally, after a successful third wave, an Xtrawave occurs, during which a large King Salmonid and multiple other Boss Salmonids appear. The primary objective is not to deposit eggs but to defeat the King Salmonid. During this wave, players are supplied with egg cannons; these convert Golden Eggs into powerful projectiles that deal 800 damage each^[4] and do not consume ink, but break on contact (even if they hit the ground). The egg cannon can be used to splat all Lesser Salmonids and most regular Boss Salmonids in one shot by hitting their weak point (if applicable), and they are largely used to damage the King Salmonid. If the player is holding an egg, a special weapon-esque notification encourages them to attack the King Salmonid with it. Players have 100 seconds to defeat the King Salmonid, and the wave ends prematurely if no players remain alive. If players fail to defeat the King Salmonid, the shift is still considered cleared.

If an Xtrawave is due to occur, the victory jingle after wave 3 will be slightly distorted, and the final triumphant horn will be immediately followed by a siren and a large, orange notification saying "EMERGENCY!". This is then followed by a short cutscene of the King Salmonid emerging from the water and roaring. The crew members then Super Jump back to the start point, or a unique lowered start point if the third wave was low tide, and the text "XTRAWAVE" will appear as they land. The Xtrawave also takes place with a unique red sky, rather than the normal orange sky or the night environment used for most Known Occurrences, and will use the same tide level as the previous wave (i.e. if wave 3 took place at high tide, the Xtrawave will too).

An Xtrawave is guaranteed to occur when the Salmometer, a King Salmonid-shaped meter appearing below the player's rank bar while they are in the Grizzco Lobby, is full for every player in the group. Otherwise, the chance of an Xtrawave occurring scales based on the total value. A minimum team smell of 5 is required for the chances of an Xtrawave occurring to begin.^[5] The meter fills after every shift, whether successful or not, and empties for everyone in the party when the special wave occurs. The Salmometer also resets between different rotations. If everyone in a team starts with a smell of 0, the chance of an Xtrawave happening is 0% for the first two rounds, 10% for the 3rd round, 30% for the 4th round, 60% for the 5th round, and 100% for the 6th round, if no Xtrawave happens until the 6th round.^[6] Until wave 3 is complete, there is no way of knowing whether or not a shift will result in an Xtrawave, unless one is aware of the Salmometer levels of their teammates.

Fish scales

Damaging the King Salmonid during an Xtrawave rewards the player with fish scales, a precious resource that has three types: bronze, silver, gold; the less common varieties of which are associated with higher hazard levels.^[7] Fish scales can be exchanged for Splashtag banners, locker room items, and Grizzco-approved alternate work outfits.^[7]

The Xtrawave grants the player scales ranging from 2 to 13; two for entering the Xtrawave, one for every 12.5% damage the team dealt to the King Salmonid (a maximum of eight for a victory), and one for every ten seconds remaining on the clock when the King Salmonid is defeated (a maximum three for 30 seconds or more left).^[8]

Getting silver and gold scales is random, with the chance percentage correlates to the hazard level using the formula 5 + 15/333 * H for silver and 3/333 * H for gold, where H stands for hazard level percentage. At max hazard level (333%), there is a 20% chance per scale to be silver, and a 3% chance per scale to be gold.^[8]^[9] The list below shows some calculated examples.

List of approximate rare fish scale odds^[10]
Hazard level	Silver fish scale	Gold fish scale	Team average rank for that hazard level
0%	5%	0%	Apprentice 0/99
20%	5.9009%	0.1802%	Part-timer 0/99
111%	10%	1%	Profreshional +1 55/99
130%	10.8559%	1.1712%	Profreshional +2 50/99
168%	12.5676%	1.5135%	Eggsecutive VP 40
200%	14.0090%	1.8018%	Eggsecutive VP 200
222%	15%	2%	Eggsecutive VP 310
333% (max.)	20%	3%	Eggsecutive VP 865+

Since Version 9.0.0 (Splatoon 3), it is guaranteed to get a minimum of 3 silver fish scales and 1 gold fish scale from the rewards meter per rotation, at 500 Grizzco points and 1100 Grizzco points respectively.

Big Run

Main article: Big Run

Big Runs are a special event where Salmonids invade the city, causing a multiplayer stage to become a temporary Salmon Run stage. Players can then fight against the invading Salmonids and collect their Golden Eggs on the reworked stage. Big Runs share similarities to Splatfests, as they are announced one week in advance, last for 48 hours, and feature final results with rewards for participating players.

Eggstra Work

Main article: Eggstra Work

Eggstra Work is a special event involving shifts lasting 5 waves, on a fixed job scenario, with the aim being to score as many golden eggs as possible. Similarly to Big Runs, players are awarded prizes after the end of the Eggstra Work based on their performance relative to the playerbase at large.^[3] Unlike Big Runs, these run concurrently with the regular Salmon Run stage rotations, allowing players who do not wish to participate/are unable to participate in the Eggstra Work to still play regular Salmon Run.

Rotations

Unlike in Splatoon 2, Grizzco Industries is almost always open for business - this includes during Splatfests. The only exception is during server maintenance, during which all multiplayer services are disabled.^[2]

Salmon Run rotations usually change every 40 hours (a day and 16 hours). Rotation change happens at 00:00, 16:00, or 08:00 UTC, in order and repeating. However, Big Runs always start at 00:00 UTC, therefore disrupting the usual schedule. The Salmon Run rotation immediately preceding the Big Run will be shortened or lengthened to fit the schedule of the Big Run, with the shortest duration being 24 hours, and the longest being 56 hours. The rotation following the Big Run keeps the usual duration.

Big Run rotations last for 48 hours (two full days), presumably always starting (and then ending) at 00:00 UTC. Big Runs only happen once per season, and usually in place of that month's Splatfest. Any player can play in a Big Run, regardless of rank. Finally, unlike most regular rotations, Big Runs are publicly announced in-game a few days in advance of occurrence. After a Big Run ends, the normal rotation schedule resumes immediately.

Loaned weapons

Almost all main weapons are usable in Salmon Run Next Wave, with the exceptions being the Splatterscope, the E-liter 4K Scope, and any variant main weapons such as the Tentatek Splattershot (as their usual distinguishing mechanical attributes of different sub and special weapons would not apply in this mode). The damage dealt by main weapons is adjusted for Salmon Run when compared to other multiplayer modes, especially for charging weapons or weapons with slow firing rates - for example, the Splat Roller deals 200 damage rather than the usual 150 with a horizontal flick, while the Heavy Splatling and Nautilus 47 are both buffed to deal 35 damage per shot when fully-charged. The dummies in the Salmon Run waiting area reflect these changes to damage scaling.

Like in Splatoon 2, the only sub weapon available in Salmon Run Next Wave is the Splat Bomb.

Unlike in Splatoon 2, there are more than four special weapons available in Salmon Run Next Wave. Special weapons are loaned out at random at the beginning of each shift, do not change between waves, and are unaffected by rotations. Since version 6.0.0, a team will always be assigned at least two specials that are capable of attacking Salmonids at a distance (marked with a ‡ in the list below). The available special weapons are:

Crab Tank ‡
Killer Wail 5.1 ‡
Booyah Bomb ‡
Triple Inkstrike ‡
Inkjet ‡
Reefslider
Wave Breaker
Kraken Royale (since version 6.0.0)
Triple Splashdown (since version 6.0.0)

Each player receives two of their assigned special to use during the regular waves. If an Xtrawave occurs, all players are provided a fixed number of special uses, regardless of how many they had used in prior waves: one use against most King Salmonids, and two uses when facing a Triumvirate.

Stages

There are seven stages available for Salmon Run Next Wave.

Name	Description	Release date
Spawning Grounds	Returning from Splatoon 2, Spawning Grounds is set near a large dam in the Inkadia region, with minimal changes. It features a wide variety of terrain on each corner of the map. A multilayered slope leading to three small piers is located just behind the basket. To the right is a grated walkway overlooking the lower grounds. To the left, slopes go down to small sandbar. During low tide, the sandbar expands exponentially, revealing three protruding landmasses.	Initial release
Sockeye Station	Sockeye Station is set in a setting similar to that of Spawning Grounds, but appears to be in the Splatlands. It was first shown off in the first Salmon Run Next Wave trailer.^[11] It features a large, elevated platform in the center, which has spiraling ramps leading to the top. There is a sandy shore and a long dock on the bottom. During low tide, there are walkways leading to the water.	Initial release
Gone Fission Hydroplant	Gone Fission Hydroplant is set next to a massive hydroplant in the ocean. It features large, elevated walls surrounding the egg basket. There are ramps leading to the top of the platforms. Ramps and gaps in the wall lead to the surrounding low ground. There is a grate over one of the gaps, functioning as a bridge. During low tide, platforms are revealed over the water, with many gaps.	Initial release
Marooner's Bay	Returning from Splatoon 2, Marooner's Bay is set on the wreckage of a large boat, with minimal changes. It features a large ship marooned on a sandbar. Its stern has three ramps down onto the beach where there are three piers on the starboard side. During low tide, a sandbar rises behind the ship, revealing a large ring of land and one smaller protrusion. This stage contains propellers which Inklings and Octolings can use to power lifts that rise from the ground.	1 December 2022
Jammin' Salmon Junction	Jammin' Salmon Junction is set on a collapsed multilane highway, which has been turned into a concert venue. It features long, uphill terrain with the egg basket at the top area. It is all divided by a long body of water in the center, which opens up into a larger pit. There are lower side areas. On the top there is a long grated bridge on the side, over the lower ground, and a small grate in the center. On low tide, there are two long pathways, also divided by a thin body of water.	1 June 2023
Salmonid Smokeyard	Returning from Splatoon 2, Salmonid Smokeyard is set on a small island with two lone structures. Ramps on each structure lead down to the sandbar while propeller platforms connect the tops of both structures. In the crevice between the two structures is a long rectangular pool of water. During low tide, a large dock reveals itself to the side of the island.	1 September 2023
Bonerattle Arena	Bonerattle Arena is set in an abandoned prison that has been converted into a dueling arena by Salmonids. It is centered around an octagonal platform with the egg basket in the center, and is the only Salmon Run stage to feature inkrails.	1 March 2024

Big Run stages

Big Run is an occasional event in Salmon Run Next Wave, in which the Salmonids invade the Splatlands and/or Inkopolis. Each time a Big Run occurs, the Salmonids invade at least one particular multiplayer stage, changing its layout and flooding it with water for the duration of the event.

Stage(s)	Description	Big Run(s)	Rare weapon(s)	King Salmonid(s)
Wahoo World	Wahoo World was the first multiplayer stage to be played on during Big Run. It was revealed during the Splatoon 3 Direct, and was shown again during the Chill Season 2022 announcement trailer.	10 December 2022 to 12 December 2022	Grizzco Blaster	Cohozuna
Wahoo World		14 December 2024 to 16 December 2024	Grizzco Blaster, Grizzco Brella, Grizzco Charger, Grizzco Slosher, Grizzco Stringer, Grizzco Splatana, Grizzco Dualies, Grizzco Roller	Triumvirate
Inkblot Art Academy	Inkblot Art Academy was the second multiplayer stage to be played on during Big Run. It was revealed in a Fresh Season 2023 promotion on 20 February 2023. During this Big Run, Horrorboros made its first appearance during Xtrawaves.	4 March 2023 to 6 March 2023	Grizzco Brella	Horrorboros
Inkblot Art Academy		8 March 2025 to 10 March 2025	Grizzco Blaster, Grizzco Brella, Grizzco Charger, Grizzco Slosher, Grizzco Stringer, Grizzco Splatana, Grizzco Dualies, Grizzco Roller	Triumvirate
Undertow Spillway	Undertow Spillway was the third multiplayer stage to be played on during Big Run. It is the first stage from the Splatlands to be a part of Big Run. It was revealed in a Sizzle Season 2023 promotion on 19 May 2023.	10 June 2023 to 12 June 2023	Grizzco Charger	Cohozuna, Horrorboros
Undertow Spillway		14 June 2025 to 16 June 2025	Grizzco Blaster, Grizzco Brella, Grizzco Charger, Grizzco Slosher, Grizzco Stringer, Grizzco Splatana, Grizzco Dualies, Grizzco Roller	Triumvirate
Um'ami Ruins	Um'ami Ruins was the fourth multiplayer stage to be played on during Big Run. It was revealed in a Drizzle Season 2023 promotion on 17 August 2023. During this Big Run, the Grizzco Dualies were available for the first time.	2 September 2023 to 4 September 2023	Grizzco Dualies	Cohozuna, Horrorboros
Barnacle & Dime	Barnacle & Dime was the fifth multiplayer stage to be played on during Big Run. It was revealed in a Chill Season 2023 promotion on 15 November 2023. During this Big Run, Megalodontia made its first appearance during Xtrawaves.	2 December 2023 to 4 December 2023	Grizzco Blaster, Grizzco Brella, Grizzco Charger, Grizzco Slosher, Grizzco Stringer, Grizzco Splatana, Grizzco Dualies	Megalodontia
Eeltail Alley	Eeltail Alley was the sixth multiplayer stage to be played on during Big Run. It was revealed in a Fresh Season 2024 promotion on 23 February 2024.	9 March 2024 to 11 March 2024	Grizzco Blaster, Grizzco Brella, Grizzco Charger, Grizzco Slosher, Grizzco Stringer, Grizzco Splatana, Grizzco Dualies	Cohozuna, Horrorboros, Megalodontia
Multiple Sites Wahoo World, Inkblot Art Academy, Undertow Spillway, Barnacle & Dime, Um'ami Ruins, Eeltail Alley	During the BIG Big Run, all six multiplayer stages were available again at random. The return of every stage was teased during the Sizzle Season 2024 trailer on 16 May 2024 and confirmed via social media on 24 May 2024.	8 June 2024 to 10 June 2024	Normal: Grizzco Roller Xtrawave exclusive: Grizzco Blaster, Grizzco Brella, Grizzco Charger, Grizzco Slosher, Grizzco Stringer, Grizzco Splatana, Grizzco Dualies, Grizzco Roller	Triumvirate
Grand Splatlands Bowl	This Big Run took place at the location of the Grand Festival on the weekend before the Splatfest. It was revealed on social media on 23 August 2024.	7 September 2024 to 9 September 2024	Grizzco Blaster, Grizzco Brella, Grizzco Charger, Grizzco Slosher, Grizzco Stringer, Grizzco Splatana, Grizzco Dualies, Grizzco Roller	Triumvirate

Wildcard rotation

Wildcard rotations return in Salmon Run Next Wave, the first starting on 1 October 2022 at 16:00 (UTC).^[12] All types of wildcard rotations from Splatoon 2 return, including all-wildcard rotations, single wildcard rotations, in which only one of the four weapons is random, and rare-only rotations^[13].

During an all-wildcard rotation, or a rare-only rotation, the only weapon available in the testing range is the Splattershot. After a shift ends, players are still equipped with the weapon they ended the shift with in the testing range, but it is replaced with the Splattershot when the bihourly multiplayer stage rotation happens, or when they interact with the weapon-equipping container. During single-wildcard rotations, players may only equip the non-wildcard weapons in the testing range.

Grizzco-brand weapons return for wildcard rotations and four new weapons, the Grizzco Stringer, Grizzco Splatana, Grizzco Dualies, and Grizzco Roller, have been added.

For a history of wildcard rotations, see Salmon Run Next Wave data.

Events

Main article: Known Occurrence

There are nine different events in Salmon Run Next Wave, with some having variants. Seven of the events return from Salmon Run in Splatoon 2.

Job scenario

A feature added in version 2.0.0 allows saving and replaying job scenarios. It allows players to replay a previous Salmon Run shift. Job scenarios can be accessed from the Grizzco Terminal, and can be shared via codes. These job scenarios can also be viewed from SplatNet 3. Big Run and Eggstra Work job scenarios cannot be saved. Unlike Battle replays, the players' inputs are not saved. Due to this, it is not possible to watch a replay of the original shift. Players must play the job scenarios using Private Jobs.

Job title

“	The Profreshional title has been usurped by Eggsecutive VP, providing a shining new rung on the corporate ladder. Your earning power will increase with a higher title, but the job sites will get more intense too. We've even recorded a 333% increase in hazard level at the sites where Eggsecutive VPs work.	”
— Squid Research Lab

All job titles from Splatoon 2 return. A new title, Eggsecutive VP^[7], has been added following the Profreshional title.

Title / Rank	Pay Grade (Rank Points 0 - 49)	Pay Grade (Rank Points 50-99)	IDV	Hazard level range
Intern (2 tutorials)	×1.00	×1.00	N/A	N/A
Apprentice (0 - 99)	×1.50	×1.55	0 - 99	0.0% - 19.8%
Part-Timer (0 - 99)	×1.60	×1.65	100 - 199	20.0% - 39.8%
Go-Getter (0 - 99)	×1.70	×1.75	200 - 299	40.0% - 59.8%
Overachiever (0 - 99)	×1.80	×1.85	300 - 399	60.0% - 79.8%
Profreshional (0 - 99)	×1.90	×1.95	400 - 499	80.0% - 99.8%
Profreshional +1 (0 - 99)	×2.00	×2.05	500 - 599	100.0% - 119.8%
Profreshional +2 (0 - 99)	×2.10	×2.15	600 - 699	120.0% - 139.8%
Profreshional +3 (0 - 99)	×2.20	×2.25	700 - 799	140.0% - 159.8%
Eggsecutive VP (0 - 999)	×2.30	×2.35 See below for EVP ≥100	800 - 1665	160.0% - 333.0%

At Eggsecutive VP, the pay grade is calculated as 2.3 + floor([Rank Points] / 50) × 0.05. The highest possible pay grade is ×3.25 at Eggsecutive VP 950 - 999.

IDV stands for internal difficulty value and is how the game keeps track of the difficulty without using job titles and rank points. One IDV is worth 0.2% hazard level, which is capped at 1665 for Eggsecutive VP 865 - 999, equivalent to hazard level 333%.

As in Splatoon 2, titles are retained across Salmon Run rotations, but the point ranges are reset to the 40-point mark within the player's current title, including the new Eggsecutive VP title. Beginning in version 6.0.0, players who have previously earned badges on a particular stage will start new rotations at a higher level within Eggsecutive VP:

Bronze (for reaching EVP 400): reset to 200
Silver (for reaching EVP 600): reset to 300
Gold (for reaching EVP 999): reset to 400

At ranks Go-Getter and above, it is possible to manually demote oneself by pressing in the menu of the Grizzco Lobby.

Rewards

On the result screen that displays the performance of each player, there are five numbers. The top left number is the quantity of Golden Eggs delivered to the basket by the player, the number in brackets in the top left is the quantity of Golden Eggs assisted (thrown) by the player and ultimately delivered to the basket by another player, the bottom left number is the quantity of Power Eggs collected, the top right number is how many times the player revived another player, and the bottom right number is how many times the player had to be revived.

Completion of a round of Salmon Run Next Wave grants players Grizzco Points, which they can redeem at the exchange desk inside Grizzco Industries for bonuses. The points earned after any run are calculated with the formula G*(E+P/200)+50*C, where G is the pay grade number after any raises or penalties, E is the number of Golden Eggs collected, P is the number of Power Eggs collected, and C is 1 upon completing all 3 rounds successfully, 2 upon successfully defeating the King Salmonid, otherwise 0. (However, due to a bug as of version 1.2.1, C is equal to 2 even if losing to the King Salmonid.) All counts are rounded down to the nearest integer. Players also earn Catalog Points which increase their catalog level (300 points per wave cleared, including if the Xtrawave is cleared). If the player participates in an Xtrawave and damages the King Salmonid, they receive fish scales.^[7]

Every 100 Grizzco Points (200/400 after reaching 1200/4000 points in a rotation, or 2400/5200 for a Big Run rotation) earns the player one bonus "capsule", which come in different colors representing the type of the contents, or a piece of gear. The main ability of this item is randomly determined when the bonus is redeemed. It usually has up to three randomly filled secondary gear ability slots. If the player receives gear they already have, they can either replace the old gear with the new version or receive ability chunks (equal to the filled slots) instead.

Reward^[15]	Type	Percent chance to obtain
Reward^[15]	Type	50%	40%	10%
Blue capsule	Drink ticket	5,000	One drink ticket	Four drink tickets
Green capsule	Ability chunks	5,000	Two ability chunks	Four ability chunks
Orange capsule	Food ticket	5,000	One 1.5× cash ticket	One 2× cash ticket
Pink capsule	Gear	One filled ability slot	Two filled ability slots	Three filled ability slots
Showcased Gear	Gear	One filled ability slot	Two filled ability slots	Three filled ability slots
Yellow capsule	Cash	5,000	16,000	32,000
Random fish scale capsule^[a]^[b]	Fish scales	10	3	1

Reward^[16]	Type	Percent chance to obtain
Reward^[16]	Type	80%	20%
Silver fish scale capsule^[b]	Silver fish scales	3	6
Gold fish scale capsule^[b]	Gold fish scales	1	2

Notes

↑ Only available during Eggstra Work.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Added in version 9.0.0.

Normal, non-superbonus capsules have a 50% chance of providing a poor reward, a 40% chance of providing a good reward, and a 10% chance of providing an excellent reward. At 600 and 1200 points, the player earns a superbonus, which always contains the 10% chance reward. The type of superbonus capsule is fixed for the length of a rotation. After 1200 points, the player only earns the current gear or pink capsules until the rotation ends. During a Big Run, all types of rewards can appear up to 2400 points, with additional superbonuses at 1800 and 2400. The capsules of the rewards until the second superbonus are different for every player.

Pink capsules contain gear aside from the one currently in rotation. During the first gear rotation, when the Bream-Brim Cap was the only gear piece available, pink capsules did not appear as a reward.

The exchange desk stores only a maximum of 99 capsules. Each additional capsule that the player receives without collecting the previous rewards will be lost.

Gear

Gear by Grizzco Industries is obtained from Salmon Run bonus rewards. When obtained, each gear reward has random initial star power and abilities. The star power is initialized from 0 to 2 stars with all secondary ability slots filled, while the initial primary ability cannot be any primary-exclusive one. If the player receives gear they already have, they can either replace the old gear with the new version or exchange the new gear for ability chunks (equal to the secondary abilities, but not the primary ability) instead. A new piece of gear is added each month, similar to Splatoon 2.

Gear	Type	Brand	Availability	Ability	Release date
Bream-Brim Cap	Headgear	Grizzco	Salmon Run Next Wave	Random	Initial Release
Lo-Vis Visor	Headgear				1 October 2022
Brain Strainer	Headgear				31 October 2022
Astro Helm	Headgear				2 December 2022
Five-Alarm Helmet	Headgear				1 January 2023
360 All-Scopes	Headgear				1 February 2023
Astro Wear	Clothing				1 March 2023
Deep Sinker Helm	Headgear				1 April 2023
Commander Tunic	Clothing				1 May 2023
Commander Cap	Headgear				31 May 2023
See-an-Enemy HUD	Headgear				30 June 2023
Retro Future Suit	Clothing				1 August 2023
Retro Future Helmet	Headgear				1 September 2023
Brinestone Jacket	Clothing				30 September 2023
Brinestone Boots	Shoes				1 November 2023
3D Glasses	Headgear				1 December 2023
Hacker Jacket	Clothing				31 December 2023
Trevally Derby Rollers	Shoes				31 January 2024
SplatJack 5000	Clothing				1 March 2024
El Rey Calamar	Headgear				1 April 2024
Knockout Boots	Shoes				1 May 2024
Cooler Jacket	Clothing				31 May 2024
Octavio Dome	Headgear				1 July 2024
Hard Hat Replica	Headgear				31 July 2024

Shop

By defeating or damaging a King Salmonid, players are rewarded with fish scales that they can use to purchase work suits, gear, decorations, stickers, or banners. Most items are locked by default, however, the rest are unlocked by spending more scales. There are two milestones for spending scales at the shop. The first milestone requires spending at least 100 and 10 to unlock, while the second milestone requires spending at least a total of 350, 40, and 4.^[17] All items are made purchasable after the second milestone is reached.

Work suits

Main article: Work suit

Name	Cost	Purchasable?
Orange Slopsuit	Unlocked by default^[a]	Initially
Green Slopsuit	10	Initially
Yellow Slopsuit	10	Initially
Orange Gloopsuit	15	Initially
Pink Slopsuit	30	After first milestone
Blue Slopsuit	30	After first milestone
Yellow Gloopsuit	50	After first milestone
Peach Gloopsuit	50	After first milestone
Lime Gloopsuit	50	After first milestone
Brown Gloopsuit	75	After second milestone
Black Slopsuit	100	After second milestone
White Slopsuit	100	After second milestone
Black Gloopsuit	150	After second milestone
Polka-Dot Slopsuit	150	After second milestone
Camo Slopsuit	150	After second milestone
Koi Slopsuit	150	After second milestone
Berry Gloopsuit	150	After second milestone
Silver Slopsuit	150	After second milestone
Gold Slopsuit	150	After second milestone
Iridescent Slopsuit	150	After second milestone

Gear

Main article: Gear

Name	Cost	Purchasable?
Beekeeper Hat	100	Initially
Worker's Head Towel	100	Initially
Squiddor Polo	100	Initially
Crustwear XXL	100	Initially
Angry Rain Boots	15	Initially
Nonslip Senseis	15	Initially
Wooden Sandals	15	Initially
Headlamp Helmet	300	After first milestone
North-Country Parka	300	After first milestone
Office Attire	300	After first milestone
Flipper Floppers	300	After first milestone
Anchor Life Vest	5	After first milestone
Garden Gear	5	After first milestone
Dev Uniform	5	After first milestone
Friendship Bracelet	5	After first milestone
Dust Blocker 2000	800	After second milestone
Welding Mask	800	After second milestone
Octoleet Goggles	800	After second milestone
Sailor Cap	800	After second milestone
Octoleet Armor	800	After second milestone
SRL Coat	800	After second milestone
Octoleet Boots	800	After second milestone
Cap of Legend	30	After second milestone
Worker's Cap	30	After second milestone
Juice Parka	30	After second milestone

Decorations

Main article: List of locker decorations in Splatoon 3

Name	Cost	Purchasable?
Flipper-Flopper	50	Initially
Scrapper	80	Initially
Chinook	5	Initially
Steelhead	5	Initially
Golden Egg box	1	Initially
Smallfry	1	Initially
Salmonid Rush wave	1	Initially
Fish Stick	120	After first milestone
Maws	160	After first milestone
Mothership	20	After first milestone
Mudmouth	20	After first milestone
Stinger	20	After first milestone
Chum	4	After first milestone
Snatcher	5	After first milestone
Griller	320	After second milestone
Drizzler	320	After second milestone
Slammin' Lid	320	After second milestone
wooden Mr. Grizz replica	999	After second milestone
Flyfish	80	After second milestone
Big Shot	120	After second milestone
Cohock	15	After second milestone
Steel Eel	15	After second milestone
egg basket	15	After second milestone
Goldie	100	After second milestone

Stickers

Main article: List of locker stickers in Splatoon 3

Name	Cost	Purchasable?
TS-SCHL graffiti	15	Initially
TS-SAL graffiti	30	Initially
SR-WRNZ sign	30	Initially
GCI-OFDA sticker	30	Initially
TS-SWD graffiti	50	Initially
GCI-DNG poster	50	Initially
SR-HXGN sign	50	Initially
GCI-FRI neon	3	Initially
TS-ORBRS graffiti	3	Initially
SD0-2S graffiti	3	Initially
Grizzco Industries logo	1	Initially
SD0-K graffiti	2	Initially
TS-TWR graffiti	60	After first milestone
TS-C0HK graffiti	80	After first milestone
TS-RLPL graffiti	80	After first milestone
SD0-? graffiti	80	After first milestone
GCI-FSH sticker	80	After first milestone
TS-STLH graffiti	5	After first milestone
TS-SN3K graffiti	5	After first milestone
TS-OBS graffiti	5	After first milestone
TS-FSC0 graffiti	5	After first milestone
GCI-BW sticker	5	After first milestone
GCI-NMLSMN neon	10	After first milestone
SR-UDTRG sign	10	After first milestone
GCI-WTD poster	3	After first milestone
TS-WHPL graffiti	160	After second milestone
TS-SMFR graffiti	160	After second milestone
TS-LGF8Z graffiti	160	After second milestone
SD0-SQDS graffiti	160	After second milestone
GCI-NHW poster	160	After second milestone
GCI-NHPT poster	160	After second milestone
GCI-N0SLMN poster	160	After second milestone
GCI-SMNKTCH neon	25	After second milestone
SR-BWRBGNR sign	25	After second milestone
GCI-XLSMN neon	50	After second milestone
TS-FLT graffiti	50	After second milestone
SD0-STR graffiti	50	After second milestone
TS-MWZ graffiti	10	After second milestone
TS-CMP graffiti	10	After second milestone
TS-C0HZ graffiti	10	After second milestone

Banners

Main article: Banner

Banner	Cost	Purchasable?
	10	Initially
	60	Initially
	100	Initially
	100	Initially
	100	Initially
	2	Initially
	150	After first milestone
	150	After first milestone
	250	After first milestone
	250	After first milestone
	250	After first milestone
	5	After first milestone
	5	After first milestone
	5	After first milestone
	400	After second milestone
	600	After second milestone
	600	After second milestone
	800	After second milestone
	800	After second milestone
	800	After second milestone
	999	After second milestone
	20	After second milestone
	33	After second milestone
	333	After second milestone
	333	After second milestone
	333	After second milestone

Badges

Main article: Badge#Salmon Run Next Wave

Salmon Run Next Wave offers a variety of badges related to stages, bosses and the Big Run and Eggstra Work events.

Stages
Eggsecutive VP <Number> at <Stage> Reached!
	200	400^[18]	600^[19]	999^[20]
Spawning Grounds
Sockeye Station
Salmonid Smokeyard
Marooner's Bay
Gone Fission Hydroplant
Jammin' Salmon Junction
Bonerattle Arena

Lifetime Grizzco Points
<Number> Grizzco Point Club
10,000
100,000
9,999,999

Miscellaneous
Image	In-game description
	MAX Hazard Level Cleared

Boss Salmonids
<Boss Salmonid> Splats x <Number>
	100	1,000	10,000
Steelhead
Steel Eel
Scrapper
Stinger
Maws
Drizzler
Flyfish
Fish Stick
Flipper-Flopper
Slammin' Lid
Big Shot

King Salmonids
<King Salmonid> Splats x <Number>
	10	100	1,000
Cohozuna
Horrorboros
Megalodontia
Dethroned a Triumvirate

Big Run
Got a <Rarity> or Higher Decoration in Big Run		Note
Bronze		^[21]^[22]^[23]
Silver		^[21]^[24]^[25]
Gold		^[21]^[26]

Eggstra Work
Top <Percent> in Eggstra Work!		Note
50%		^[27]
20%
5%

Changes from Salmon Run in Splatoon 2

There are multiple changes in Salmon Run Next Wave compared to the original Salmon Run, including:

The Test Range serves as the lobby and shop where rewards are given and fish scales can be traded, as well as the current weapons available can be tested.
The training area now allows players to call any Boss Salmonid they want to practice on, instead of going through a specific order.
Players can now choose the gear they wear during Salmon Run and set up private matches between friends outside of the Shoal.
Matches can no longer start with fewer than four players. Instead, the player must try again to find players if matching takes longer than 160 seconds.
In matches, the host of the room is not always the player who creates it, instead being the player who has the fastest and most stable network.
Players have the ability to throw Golden Eggs to reach their quota more easily, with the quotas increasing in number to compensate.
The highest rank is no longer Profreshional, instead, it is Eggsecutive VP, which is four ranks greater.
At the highest rank, players no longer start with rank points based on the previous shift, with it being determined by their highest badge for the ongoing map instead.
The moon is no longer visible during Known Occurrences, and the sky becomes considerably darker as a result.
The Mothership now makes splashes when it appears from and re-enters the water.
Goldie Seeking has been greatly altered, with Lesser Salmonids no longer spawning from incorrect Gushers. Instead, they spawn constantly from the shore in smaller numbers, as well as from the Gusher that the Goldie is inside of, making these waves considerably easier.
Fishing Frenzy no longer plays during the Mothership and Goldie Seeking, instead being replaced by Frothy Waters.
Scoped chargers can no longer appear as weapons in rotations, nor be given during wildcard rotations.
An Xtrawave can sometimes occur after a shift, containing a boss fight with a King Salmonid and providing the player with fish scales once it is damaged and the shift is over.
Four new Boss Salmonids can appear: Fish Sticks, Big Shots, Flipper-Floppers, and Slammin' Lids.
Steelhead explosions are now much larger and deal more damage, as well as inking a larger area.
Flyfish behavior is now constant once weakened regardless of which basket was damaged, the remaining one now only targets the closest player.
Two new Known Occurrences can occur: Mudmouth Eruptions and Giant Tornadoes.
Enemies can now use the propeller lifts on Marooner's Bay to reach the basket faster if a targeted player lifts it up for them.
Salmonid pathing is no longer bound by nodes, making Lesser Salmonids and Goldie movement much more direct. When combined with the increased damage and knockback from lessers, this makes lessers much more dangerous than in Splatoon 2.
Snatchers now fly, can carry up to eight Golden Eggs, and escape faster than their grounded counterparts from the prior game.
The overall difficulty peak is greater, having more bosses, higher quotas, and a higher hazard level than the previous game. This in turn causes gameplay to slow at higher levels if players do not manage bosses correctly.
Many of the lines from Mr. Grizz, especially those which describe Known Occurrences, have changed, and have a friendlier tone in the English version compared to the previous game due to being more accurately translated from the Japanese version.

Music

Fictional band	Song name	Audio sample
Grizzco	Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Mix	Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Mix
Grizzco	Salmon Run opening	Salmon Run opening Hazard Level MAX!! version: Salmon Run opening (Hazard Level MAX!!)
ω-3	Surge & Submerge	Surge & Submerge
	Deluge Dirge	Deluge Dirge
	Fishing Frenzy	Fishing Frenzy
	Frothy Waters	Frothy Waters
	Frantic Aspic	Frantic Aspic
	Toxic Anoxic	Toxic Anoxic
Grizzco	You Got Them! (Salmon Run) 1	You Got Them! (Salmon Run) 1
	They Got You! (Salmon Run)	They Got You! (Salmon Run)
	You Got Them! (Salmon Run) 2	You Got Them! (Salmon Run) 2
	You Got Them! (Salmon Run) 3 - Go Off, King!	You Got Them! (Salmon Run) 3 - Go Off, King!
	You Got Them! (Salmon Run) 4 - Bye, King	You Got Them! (Salmon Run) 4 - Bye, King
	Not Bad (Do Better)	Not Bad (Do Better)
	Anarchy Splatcast (Big Run)	Anarchy Splatcast (Big Run)
ω-3	Bait & Click (Mutation)	Bait & Click (Mutation)
	Bait & Click	Bait & Click
	Double Clickbait	Double Clickbait
Grizzco feat. Deep Cut	Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Deep Mix	Happy Little Workers - 24/7 Deep Mix
Grizzco feat. Deep Cut	Not Bad (Catch Ya Better)	Not Bad (Catch Ya Better)
N/A	Fish Stick chant	Fish Stick chant

Quotes

“	SRL HR dept. here. No, it's not another mandatory seminar about conserving printer toner. Rather, we're confirming that Salmon Run is available 24/7 in the Splatoon 3 game! That means you can work nonstop to climb the corporate salmon ladder - maybe all the way to Eggsecutive VP! Now, at the end of the day, it's all about that paycheck. And we think Salmon Run workers are handsomely rewarded! Diligent employees who have collected fish scales can trade them in for bonus items like designer work suits. As always, we support a healthy work-splat balance.	”
— @SplatoonNA on Twitter^[28]^[29]

“	Salmon Run is open for business 24/7 in #Splatoon3, and you can team up with friends in private lobbies too! If you defeat the big 'ol King Salmonid, you may earn some rare fish scales that can be exchanged for snazzier uniforms.	”
— @NintendoEurope on Twitter^[30]

Dialogue

View the quotation page.

Gallery

Artwork and renders

Logo
Salmon Run Next Wave logo with a blank background
Key art (vertical)
Inkling in uniform, holding the Splattershot
Another Inkling in uniform, holding the Classic Squiffer
An Octoling in uniform, holding the Tri-Stringer
Chums, a Smallfry, and a Cohock
A Chum and a Steelhead
Flipper-Flopper
Render of an Inkling in uniform
Alternative pose
Alternative pose
Another Inkling
Designer work suits
Returning work suits from Splatoon 2's Salmon Run, introduced in Fresh Season 2023
Alternative poses
All of the different Salmonids, prior to Horrorboros
Chum
Chums and a Cohock
Flipper-Flopper
Goldie
A Golden Egg
Egg cannon used to throw Golden Eggs
Promotion for the Salmon Run Next Wave-themed icon elements for Nintendo Switch Online

Icons

Salmonid Field Guide

Snatcher
Fish Stick
Flipper-Flopper
Slammin' Lid
Big Shot
Water Levels (High and Low Tides)
Rush
Fog
The Griller
Cohock Charge
Goldie Seeking
The Mothership
Mudmouth Eruptions
Giant Tornado

Promotional screenshots

In-game screenshots

Trivia

The Salmometer is internally referred to as "smell". This, as well as wording in the Employee Handbook, may imply that the Salmometer is a metaphor for the King Salmonid gradually learning the scent of the crew members as they keep returning to the same location.
As of version 6.0.0, the Salmometer reflects the type of King Salmonid that will appear in the case of an Xtrawave, whereas it would previously always be shaped like a Cohozuna.
The first ever Salmon Run Next Wave rotation on 8 September 2022, which took place on Sockeye Station, had the weapons Splattershot Jr., Splat Dualies, Splat Roller, and Splat Charger. This weapon combination is identical to the first ever Salmon Run rotation in Splatoon 2 (which took place on Spawning Grounds).
- This stage and weapon combination were later reused on 24 December 2023.
The Grizzco helicopter seen in Salmon Run Next Wave has collision. Ordinarily this cannot be seen due to the helicopter flying far out of reach, but on extremely rare occasions during a lag spike, players can collide with it when Super Jumping back at the end of a shift.^[31]

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	サーモンラン NEXT WAVE Sāmon ran NEXT WAVE	Salmon Run NEXT WAVE
Dutch	Salmon Run - De nieuwe golf	Salmon Run - The new wave
French (NOE)	Salmon Run - La nouvelle vague	Salmon Run - The new wave
German	Salmon Run - Die nächste Welle	Salmon Run - The next wave
Italian	Salmon Run - Prossima ondata	Salmon Run - Next wave
Russian	Salmon Run - Новая волна Salmon Run - Novaya volna	Salmon Run - New wave
Spanish (NOE)	Salmon Run - Nueva ofensiva	Salmon Run - New offense
Chinese (Simplified)	鲑鱼跑 NEXT WAVE Guīyú pǎo NEXT WAVE	Salmon Run NEXT WAVE
Chinese (Traditional)	鮭魚跑 NEXT WAVE Guīyú pǎo NEXT WAVE (Mandarin) gwai1 jyu2 paau2 NEXT WAVE (Cantonese)	Salmon Run NEXT WAVE
Korean	새먼 런 NEXT WAVE Saemeon reon NEXT WAVE	Salmon Run NEXT WAVE

Job scenario
Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	バイトシナリオ baito shinario	Part-time job scenario
Dutch	Bewaarde klus	Saved shift
French	Scénario de mission	Mission Scenario
German	Schicht-Szenario	Shift scenario
Italian	Scenario di lavoro	Work scenario
Russian	Настройки смены Nastroyki smeny	Shift settings
Spanish	modelo de tarea
Chinese (Simplified)	打工剧本 dǎgōng jùběn	Work script^{[note 1]}
Chinese (Traditional)	打工劇本 dǎgōng jùběn (Mandarin) daa2 gung1 kek6 bun2 (Cantonese)	Work script^{[note 1]}
Korean	아르바이트 시나리오 aleubaiteu sinalio	Part-time job scenario