Splatoon 3 already has plenty of content to wade through with its Turf War multiplayer and Splatfest events, but Nintendo still has another event up its sleeve. Salmon Run is the game’s cooperative mode that pits four players against a horde of Salmonids, and it’s set to get its very own Splatfest-like event with Big Run. Here’s everything we know about Splatoon 3’s “once in a while” mode.

What is the Splatoon 3 Big Run?

Big Run was first announced by Nintendo during the Splatoon 3 Direct in August 2022. At that time, there was a small gameplay clip released along with a few scant details. During Big Run, Salmonids will invade the standard multiplayer maps of Turf War, drastically changing the approach players need to take during a match of Salmon Run. At the same time, the gameplay clip seems to indicate the intensity of matches will be upped during a Big Run, as the second wave showed off in the clip required the team to collect 19 Salmon Eggs. Unfortunately, we don’t know many other details, as Nintendo has been pretty tight-lipped about the mode.

When are the first Splatoon 3 Big Run dates?

Nintendo has previously said Big Run is a “once in a while” phenomenon. What that means is that we don’t have an exact date for Big Run outside of the event happening every few months. Considering Splatoon 3 launched at the start of September, that every few months timeline would put Big Run sometime in November to early December in all likehlihood.

Some fans have speculated the mode could make its debut around Halloween, as previous games have typically celebrated the holiday with a Splatoween event that added new cosmetics and a Halloween-themed Splatfest. We already know a Halloween Splatfest isn’t happening for Splatoon 3, as the next Splatfest is Pokémon-themed and happens on November 11.

Fans on Twitter have noted a new test skybox was added to the game recently, showing an eerie glowing red sky. User @OatmealDome notes that the lighting configuration for the game specifically says to use the skybox in the Plaza during Big Run.

While it’s nothing concrete, this file being added to Splatoon 3 could indicate that Big Run is coming sooner rather than later.

The Splatoon 3 community is in a big frenzy over Big Run — Even though we don’t have exact info on Big Run, that hasn’t stopped the community from becoming obsessed with it, detailing exactly what they want to see out of the mode. Big Run really blew up on the internet recently after a user named narwhak2 on Reddit uploaded a phenomenally creepy emergency warning concept. Since then, the community has flocked to the idea of Big Run with countless memes and other emergency warning concepts. It’s even spread into the game itself, with some players’ in-game drawings bemoaning how we still don’t have info on Big Run.

At the very least, we should see a Big Run happen by the end of 2022.

This article will be updated whenever Nintendo reveals more official details on Big Run.