More Games Should Learn From Splatoon 3's Lobby
Anyone who’s big into their online shooters will likely have experienced sitting in a lobby, scrolling through social media in a bored haze, getting increasingly frustrated as the matchmaking timer goes up.
It’s a common problem, especially with older multiplayer titles, compounded by the fact that the vast majority of online lobbies have nothing for players to do but sit in a menu, watching people join, call someone a random slur, and then leave to the sound of some monotonous music on loop.
Related: How One Stupid Shirt Got Me Hooked On Splatoon 3
Granted, it might not be a deliberate choice that the majority of multiplayer titles go for lobbies as dull as dishwater. It could just be a side effect of Bandai Namco’s 30-year-long patent on “auxiliary games,” essentially minigames that take place during loading screens. The patent expired back in 2015, but its sheer length has probably instilled a mindset that giving players something to do while loading or sitting in lobbies is a no-go.
However, times have changed, and that’s why when games like Splatoon 3 come along and try to make the wait between online matches as enjoyable as possible, the industry should sit up and start taking notes. Splatoon 3 has done away with the horrible menus and given players what is essentially a big playground to experiment with, complete with training dummies that let you test your weapons and abilities without fear of getting splatted in the back by some punk inkling with a Squiffer.
Regular squid kids will know that the training area was included in Splatoon 2, but having it available as part of the lobby is one of the game’s smartest new additions. It might not provide much entertainment for veterans who need live squids to feel
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