The update for Splatoon 3 patch 2.1.0 has arrived today, containing a variety of fixes and alterations to game balance. There’s also a dramatic decrease in the power of one certain ability that has become widely used by characters, both Inklings and Octolings.

The special power of Ninja Squid allows you to swim through ink quietly to avoid being detected by other gamers. Normally, this motion is quite clear, but when this skill is equipped, the ripples become almost undetectable on non-wall surfaces. However, when appearing on walls, the ripples will still be visible. The cost of this skill is a 10 percent decrease in swim speed, though many people have found it to be worth the cost.

The game Splatoon 3 has had many players relying on the Ninja Squid ability as soon as it was released. With the game’s quickness of eliminating enemies, it’s easy to be lost and potentially die if a person loses track of their adversary for a fraction of a second. Due to the gear set up allowing the speed penalty from Ninja Squid to be minimized, it has become customary for players to pick it in all competitive matches.

In the latest update 2.1.0, the ink splash of a player becoming a kid will not remain invisible for a short time. This means it will be much easier to identify Ninja Squid users. Furthermore, gear with the swim up ability cannot reduce the speed penalty that comes with Ninja Squid, so Ninja Squid users will have to cope with the 10 percent reduction of overall swim speed.

Some fans have already expressed sadness over the passing of Ninja Squid, while others are actually joyous of the alteration. We must wait and witness if the nerf significantly reduces the amount of players who prefer sneaking around underwater.

There are many modifications to weapon functionality in the patch notes, such as enlarging the surface area inked by the Aerospray MG and RG and enhancing the minimal harm inflicted by the Big Swig Roller when sweeping left to right. To learn more, take a look at the patch notes here.