Main campaign: ~10-18 hours
Unlike the older Splatoon campaigns, which were basically tutorials for the multiplayer, Raiders is a proper story mode. An average run — opening tutorial, the necessary story raids, plus some dungeons and optional challenges — lands in the 10 to 15 hour window for most players, with outlets that played deeper (or kept tinkering with builds) reporting closer to 15-18 hours. Either way, you are looking at a fuller experience than any prior Splatoon single-player mode.
100% / post-game: 40+ hours
This is where the game quietly becomes a time sink. After the credits, there is a chunky endgame: harder "spicier" revisions of every stage, new optional challenge and dungeon levels, and full collection of every weapon, gadget, outfit and Salmonid Relic. Reviewers who pushed into this content reported 40+ hours total, and co-op extends it further — helping friends with their raids is its own loop.
Difficulty options
Raiders gives you three difficulty choices that affect enemy strength only:
| Difficulty | Feel |
|---|---|
| Tourist | Easy. Best for learning the loop or pure farming. |
| Raider | Medium. The intended baseline experience. |
| Survivalist | Hard. Tougher enemies, slower clears, same loot. |
Remember: the loot pool is identical on all three. Difficulty changes how hard enemies hit, not what they drop. So if you are farming, Tourist is the smart pick — you get the same rewards in less time.
What actually fills the hours
- Replayable raids with different builds. Three tank classes and a deep gadget system make "one more run with a new loadout" genuinely tempting.
- Sampler Dungeons. Hidden loadout-puzzle rooms unlocked with Compasses — see the Map & Compass guide.
- Collectibles. Briny Scrolls, Compasses, outfits and Salmonid Relics scattered across islands.
- Co-op and Call for Help. Assisting others (or being assisted) adds dozens of optional hours.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Splatoon Raiders?
An average playthrough of the main campaign runs about 10-18 hours, depending on side content and optional raiding. Most players finish around 15 hours.
How long to 100% Splatoon Raiders?
Well over 40 hours. The post-game adds harder stage revisions, extra dungeons, and full collection of every weapon, gadget, outfit and Salmonid Relic.
Does difficulty change how long it takes?
Only indirectly. Tourist, Raider and Survivalist change enemy strength, not content amount. Higher difficulty just means slower clears.
Is there a deadline or time limit?
No. It is a self-paced PvE campaign — solo or in co-op — with no timer forcing you through the story.
Next: decide if it is worth buying, or jump straight to the weapon tier list to plan your build.