Nintendo Switch's Next Tetris 99 Event Is A Splatoon Crossover

Nintendo has announced the next in-game competition for Switch's free battle royale-like Tetris game, Tetris 99. The fifth Maximus Cup kicks off this week, on July 12, and this time around, the event will be a collaboration with another first-party Switch game: Splatoon 2.

To commemorate Splatoon 2's final Splatfest event, which takes place later this month, the next Maximus Cup will be themed after the colorful shooter. The event runs until 11:59 PM PT on July 15. Players who amass at least 100 event points during that time will unlock a special in-game Splatoon theme in Tetris 99.

Tetris 99 is free to download and play for everyone who has a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Subscriptions for the service are available for $4 USD per month, $8 USD for three months, and $20 USD for 12 months. Nintendo recently released a $10 Big Block DLC that adds two offline modes, so non-members can also play Tetris 99 (provided they purchase the DLC). However, you'll still need a membership to take part in the game's Maximus Cup events and to play against other players online.

Splatoon 2's final Splatfest, meanwhile, kicks off the following week, on July 18. Fittingly, the final event features an apocalyptic theme, pitting Team Order vs. Team Chaos. The Splatfest will also last much longer than normal, running for 72 hours. During the first 48, each Shifty Station stage from previous Splatfests will return to the rotation, with a brand-new stage appearing during the final 24 hours. Following the Splatfest, Splatoon 2 will receive a 5.0 update in late July.

Tetris 99 surprise launched this past February and garnered attention for its novel battle royale-inspired take on the puzzle series, but it won't be the only Tetris game of this kind for much longer. A 100-player Tetris game called Tetris Royale is in development for mobile devices. The game is slated to launch in beta form in "select territories" later this year and will feature leaderboards, as well as daily challenges and a solo Marathon mode.