'Splatoon 2' news, release date: sequel's new hub, fresh and redesigned weapons showcased

"Splatoon 2" has been confirmed for Nintendo Switch and it will come with a variety of changes and brand-new additions in the squid world.

The sequel will feature a new map called The Reef, which is "home to some of the most popular boutique shops in the city," as per the folks over at the Squid Research Lab, the official Tumblr account for the game.

The new "Splatoon 2" map can be found a few blocks from Inkopolis Square, which is the new hub for Inklings. In the original "Splatoon" game, the most popular hangout was the Inkopolis Plaza.

"Many new businesses have opened shop in Inkopolis Square, and it is only two subway stations away from Inkopolis Plaza," the Squid Research Lab wrote.

While Turf War will still be central in "Splatoon 2," there were changes made on the mid-battle stage map and how Inklings can navigate through it.

It turns out that pressing the X button will allow players to view the map anytime during a battle. When it is open, Inklings can Super Jump to a teammate by pressing the directional buttons and the A Button.

"Each teammate is assigned to a different directional button, as is the spawn point. The map also features a cursor that can be moved by tilting the controller," the developers explained.

The sequel is set a couple of years after the original. It will introduce a slew of new weapons including the Splat Dualies, which provide players two reticles that allow for more spread of their shots.

When using it while jumping, "Splatoon 2" players can do a dodge roll. They can also slide. This weapon comes with a Jet Pack special, which will allow players to go airborne for a limited amount of time and shower enemies below with ink blobs.

The new and improved Splat Charger, Splattershot and Splat Roller coming to "Splatoon 2" were all showcased at the Treehouse live stream by Nintendo.

The Splat Charger can now save up a charge that players can use for later at their disposal. It comes with a Hyper Presser special that allows Inklings to shoot enemies even those behind walls.

The Splat Roller in "Splatoon 2" can now shoot ink both vertically and horizontally depending on the movement of the players when firing. It was revealed to come with a Super Landing special, which basically slams the ground with ink after Super Jumping an ally.

The Splat Roller is endowed the Multi-Missile special, which activates four homing missiles to the player's unfortunate target.

"Splatoon 2" releases this summer.