Someone can play Splatoon alone or with other players (who they may or may not know personally). They can pay a monthly fee to play online with other players. Voice chat is available for children aged 13+ (parental approval may be required and there may be a fee) via the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app or the Switch2 GameChat function (which includes video chat options too).
On the Nintendo Switch console, a player can decide who can see their online status which allows friends to join them in online play. It is possible in some games to play privately with friends. Players can customise their locker and share posts (drawings) in the game. Players can report other players if this shared content or behaviour is offensive or inappropriate.
Splatoon is only available on Nintendo consoles, which have parental controls. For example, parents can prevent their children from sharing messages and images with other users. These controls are also provided in the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app, which has additional settings to manage screentime. Parents can manage children’s in-game purchasing by creating a Nintendo ‘Family Group’ to supervise their child’s Nintendo Account. Players can report other players and harmful content shared in the game.
