Overview
Teams will have 30 minutes after the match start time to join the lobby. Failure to do so will result in a forfeit.
The Home Team creates the private matches following the instructions displayed on PlayVS and must only start the game after all players have entered the lobby.
Coaches and players are encouraged to communicate with the opposing team via lobby chat.
No spectating. Coaches/Players cannot join a match as a spectator. If either team is found to be spectating the match, it’s an automatic loss for that round or match at PlayVS' discretion.
IT Steps: Day of Match (at least 1 hour before)
Restart all consoles.
Update the patch for the game by starting the game on each console, as this will trigger a check for any updates.
Give your IT department a heads up and have them on standby if any technical issues come up during matches.
Setting Up The Match
Match Creation Instructions
The Home team’s captain will be responsible for creating the game lobby and inviting all players. The instructions below will guide you through this process.
Add Your Teammates & Opponents
From the Nintendo Switch home screen, press up to access the "User Profiles". Navigate to your account and select "Add Friend". Select "Search with Friend Code" and enter the Friend your opponents have listed on their PlayVS Accounts. Once you’ve found them, send them a friend request. The lobby leader must add all of the opposing players to ensure that they can join the lobby. Adding friends while the lobby is waiting for players will crash the lobby.
Join the Lobby Leader
Once you've accepted the friend request, please allow for a few minutes for your opponent to create the match.
When the lobby is ready, all other players need to Join the Room. Player 1’s name should now say Joinable in the Private Battle screen. Select the name. Select Yeah! to enter Player 1’s Room
Start Splatoon™ 3
Exit your settings to navigate back to the Nintendo Switch home screen. Find and open the Splatoon™ 3 game.
From Splatsville, press the X Button to open the main menu.
Select Lobby from the list to enter your player Lobby.
Create the Lobby
Once in the Lobby, press (L) button to create a Private Battle.
The Team Captain should press the Y button to Create a Room.
Choose Yeah! to continue without a password.
Broadcast the Lobby
Once the lobby has been created hold the Y button until a pop up notification shows that the game has broadcast the lobby invite to your Switch friends.
Configure Your Settings
Please ensure lobby settings are configured with the specifics below:
Recon On/Off: OFF (Default)
Primary Gear Abilities Onlys: OFF
Select Game Mode & Map
Please follow the Stage Selection and Game Mode rules found in the latest Splatoon™ 3 Rulebook.
The lobby leader must ensure that the proper Game Mode is selected with the correct Stage as outlined in Section 1.5, Map Selection, of the Splatoon™ 3 Rulebook.
*In the event one of the below game modes is deactivated by the publisher, play should continue in the intended game order. Circling back to the top of the order in the event the series goes to Game 5.
1.5. A summarized version of this can be found below.
1.5.1 Map Pick Order
Game Mode | Map Selection |
Turf War | Map 1 Pick ➤ Home Team |
Rainmaker | Map 2 Pick ➤ Loser of Map 1 |
Splat Zones | Map 3 Pick ➤ Loser of Map 2 |
Tower Control | Map 4 Pick ➤ Loser of Map 3 |
Clam Blitz | Map 5 Pick ➤ Loser of Map 4 |
Wait for all Players
Get Ready!
Once the Map mode and the correct Stage are selected, click on All Set! Once the players have been assigned to their teams, the lobby creator chooses “Looks good”.
Each player will have 90 seconds to ready up after this, and the game will begin. Good Luck!
A note on Weapons & Gear
Weapons/Gear: Besides Splatfest Tees, anything a player has unlocked may be used. Any player wearing a Splatfest Tee may result in an automatic loss for their Team in Sponsor’s discretion.
Note: All games in a scheduled match must be played and completed for a match to be considered complete.
Post-Game Process
Players will share the results of each game and any screenshots with their coach.
The coach of the winning team should submit results within 1 hour of the last game played.
All coaches will input the results on the scoreboard in “Lobby"
Opponents have 30 minutes to accept the match request. In the event that the opposing team does not show up within this 30 minute window, the match can be recorded as “Opponent Forfeit”.
Important: By default, rulebooks overrule game day protocols. Please reach out to support if you find conflicting information.
2022 - 2023 Version 1.0
2021 - 2022 Version 2.5
V2.0 - Replaced discord with lobby chat.
V2.1 - Both coaches to share match results.
V2.2 - All games must be played for a match to be considered complete.
V2.3 - Added weapons & gear.
V2.4 No spectating.
V2.5 Reformatted and added more clarity to Setting Up and Joining the Match, added the Forfeit Request section.
V2.6 - 2/22/22 // Best of 5 -AK
V2.7 - 2/1/23 // Lobby replaces Mission control -AK