Splatoon’s new Rainmaker mode launches tonight

The Splatoon hype train continues, this time with the new Rainmaker battles. They'll be part of the Ranked Battle rotation and available for custom matches, starting tonight at 7PM PST.

What is a Rainmaker battle? Teams will compete to grab the eponymous Rainmaker, a powered up Inkzooka, and then carry it into the enemy base. The Rainmaker itself is covered in a shield, much like the zapfish in the single player campaign, that must be broken before it can be grabbed, and when a player is carrying this heavy sucker they cannot superjump, heavily limiting their mobility.

In exchange the Rainmaker is incredibly powerful, shooting Inkzooka-like shots that can even be charged further to unleash true havoc on the battlefield. If the player carrying this weapon of mass inkstruction falls, the Rainmaker's shield will return and must be broken again before it can be reacquired.

This back and forth, reverse tug-of war will continue until one team places the Rainmaker in the opponent's base, or time runs out. In the event of the latter, the team that has moved the Rainmaker closer to the opponent's base will win by points.

Again, this new mode will go live tonight at 7PM PST, so brush up on your Inkzooka skills if you plan to literally carry your team to victory in this new mode.