A year on, Nintendo winds down Splatoon's popular multiplayer Splatfests

Nintendo has laid plans to host the final Splatfest multiplayer event for its Wii U hit Splatoon next month, roughly a year after the first Splatfest event debuted.

That's important because Splatoon proved popular among critics, game developers and players after its strong debut last April, and since the game is multiplayer-focused a big part of its appeal is wrapped up in its multiplayer community.

The Splatfests have served to anchor that community, challenging them to wage (simulated) paint wars over important questions like "which is better, cats or dogs? Marshmallows or hot dogs?"

These events have typically taken place across different regions, but the final Splatfest (which asks players to pick a side between teams supporting Splatoon characters Callie and Marie) will take place simultaneously across all regions the weekend of July 22nd-24th.  

The game and its various multiplayer modes will presumably continue to be supported following the final Splatfest. For more on the game's multiplayer-focused design and what it gets right, check out this thoughtful Gamasutra analysis of Splatoon.