AURORA – The Colorado High School Activities Association has announced that Splatoon 3 will be added to the fall lineup of sanctioned Esports State Championship games beginning with the Fall 2024 season.
Splatoon 3 will become the third sanctioned game at the fall Esports State Championship, joining a lineup that already features League of Legends and Rocket League.
“Esports students from across the Front Range approached us with the proposal to add Splatoon 3 to our roster,” said Rashaan Davis, CHSAA’s Assistant Commissioner who oversees esports. “This game has seen a significant rise in popularity over the past few years and is just as engaging as our other esports offerings. I am thrilled that students have taken the initiative, used their voices, and provided their peers with another exciting esports opportunity.”
Last year alone, just the second year of esports being a sanctioned activity, more than 140 schools sponsored an esports team and more than 1,863 students participated in the activity. For Splatoon 3, specifically, there were three teams participating in the game during the inaugural Spring 2022 season, while there were 34 teams competing in the game on the PlayVS platform this past spring season.
“Esports certainly isn’t just a niche activity, it’s a movement that’s capturing the hearts and minds of many of our students across the state,” CHSAA Commissioner Mike Krueger said. “Year after year, we have continued to see remarkable growth in esports engagement; expanding and diversifying our offerings is a reflection of this growth as well as the incredible dedication and passion that is shared by students and educators alike.”
Since becoming a sanctioned activity for the Fall 2022 season, CHSAA has awarded eight esports championship trophies to five different schools across four games. Cherry Creek won the inaugural Rocket League title in Fall 2022, while Grandview captured the first-ever League of Legends championship that same day. Valor Christian earned its first esports state title in Rocket League in 2023 and Cherry Creek won League of Legends.
During the spring season, CHSAA offers titles in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart. Rocky Mountain swept both titles in its inaugural season – Spring 2023 – while Grandview won Super Smash Bros this past spring and Pueblo West was victorious in Mario Kart.
“We eagerly anticipate the 2024-25 school year as a fantastic period to celebrate esports” Davis said. “With the addition of Splatoon 3, our fall lineup is greatly enriched, promising an even more dynamic and captivating experience for all participants.”
Splatoon 3, rated E for everyone 10+, is a popular multiplayer game where you compete as a species of fashionable teens who can turn into ink-surfing squids. The objective is to paint a level with your team’s ink, covering more of the level with ink than your opponent can before time runs out. The game requires mechanical skills and insane strategy, making it a great game for building teamwork.