How to Fix “A Communication Error Has Occurred” in Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3 was warmly welcomed in the gaming world. However, its communication errors totally ruined the gaming experience. These errors are reported across all Nintendo Switch models and various ISPs in different regions. Sometimes, the error occurs upon joining the game, and other times, during gameplay.

To fix communication errors in Splatoon 3, restart your switch and router. For more severe cases, consider reinstalling the game or resetting the switch to factory defaults.

Prerequisites for Troubleshooting

• Check if the Splatoon and Switch services are operational.
• Minimize electromagnetic interference by turning off devices such as mobile phones and smart watches around the switch.
• Test your Internet connection by navigating to System Settings > Internet > Test Connection on the switch.

  

1. Re-launch the game after enabling airplane mode

If the Splatoon game can’t use the Switch’s existing Internet connection, enable airplane mode and relaunch the game.

1. Exit the game, then go to System Settings > Airplane Mode

   

2. Enable it and launch the game.

   

3. During the launch, turn off Airplane Mode via Quick Settings and check if this resolves the issue.

2. Restart the Nintendo Switch and Router

If a firmware malfunction occurs in the Nintendo Switch or router, it may result in a communication error in Splatoon 3. In such cases, restarting both devices should resolve the issue.

1. After exiting the Splatoon game, press the switch’s power button for 3 seconds and open Power Options.
2. Select Restart and check if this clears the error.

   

3. If not, Turn Off the switch through the Power Options menu and then switch off the router.
4. Unplug the router’s power cable and wait for a minute.

   

5. Plug back the power cable and power on the Router.
6. Power on the switch and launch Splatoon 3. See if its communication error is cleared.

3. Update Firmware for Nintendo Switch and Router

Update your router and Nintendo Switch firmware if they are outdated, as this can cause incompatibility and frequent communication errors on Splatoon 3.

Update the Firmware of the Nintendo Switch

1. Launch the Settings of Nintendo Switch and go to System > System Update.

   

2. Install any available update and restart the switch.
3. Launch Splatoon 3 and confirm if the problem is solved.

Update the Router Firmware

1. Use a web browser to open the browser’s Settings page and go to Advanced > Firmware Update.
2. In the right pane, click on Check and if updates are available, install the updates.

   

3. Restart the router and switch.
4. Launch Splatoon 3 and see if its communication error is cleared.

4. Clear the Cache of the Nintendo Switch

If invalid Splatoon game entries are found in the Switch’s cache, they can lead to game disconnections. Clearing the Nintendo Switch’s cache should resolve this issue.

1. Open the Switch Settings and go to System > Formatting Options.
2. Open Reset Cache and select the user.

   

3. Confirm to reset the cache and once done, restart the switch through the menu.
4. Launch the Splatoon game and check if its communication error is fixed.

5. Change your Character in the Game

If your game character’s configuration file is damaged or fails to load correctly, the game may disconnect. Thus, changing your in-game character is the solution.

1. Launch the Splatoon game and open its Menu.
2. Go to Options > Other and open Player Settings.

   

3. Please confirm to proceed with the character change and adjust it according to your needs, for example, from Inkling to Octo or vice-versa.
4. Launch the Splatoon game and see if the communication issue is resolved.

6. Connect the Switch to the 5 GHz Band

If the network speed doesn’t meet the game’s requirements, it may cause a communication error on the switch. To solve this issue, connect the switch to the router’s 5 GHz band, which is faster than the 2.4 GHz band.

TIP: Bring the switch close to the router, as the Wi-Fi band’s range is limited.

1. Go to the Settings page of the router’s admin portal in a web browser and open Wireless Settings.
2. Checkmark the option of Enable 5 GHz and disable 2.4 GHz.

   

3. Apply the changes and connect the switch to the 5 GHz band.
4. Launch Splatoon 3 and see if the communication error is cleared.

7. Change the Region in the Switch Settings

If you attempt to play in a server region differing from your Switch settings, servers may deny the connection, causing communication errors. Changing the region in your Switch settings can resolve this issue.

1. Launch the System Settings of the Nintendo Switch and go to System > Region.

   

2. Select another region (such as The Americas) and save the changes.
3. Restart the switch and launch Splatoon 3. Verify if the communication errors are fixed.

8. Change the DNS Settings of the Nintendo Switch

If the DNS settings of your Switch aren’t optimized for Splatoon 3, you may experience constant disconnections and communication errors. Resolve this issue by modifying these settings.

1. Launch the System Settings of Nintendo Switch and go to Internet > Internet Settings > (network type) > Change Settings > DNS Settings.
2. Select Manual and set the following:

   Primary DNS: 1.1.1.1
   
   Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.1

   

3. Save the changes and restart the switch from the Power Options.
4. Launch Splatoon 3 and confirm if its communication error is cleared.

9. Change the MTU Settings of the Nintendo Switch

The Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) is the size of the largest data packets your switch can send or receive. If the MTU does not align with the router’s MTU, it can disrupt communication and cause errors.

In this scenario, adjusting the Nintendo Switch’s MTU settings will solve the problem.

1. Open the Nintendo Switch’s System Settings, then navigate to Internet > Internet Settings > (selected network) > Change Settings.
2. Select MTU and set it to 1500.

   

3. Save the changes and restart the switch.
4. Launch Splatoon 3 and verify if it is clear of the communication error.

10. Try Another Network or Network Type

If you experience a communication error in Splatoon 3, it’s likely due to a non-optimal network or network type. Switching to a different network or network type should solve the problem.

Try the Other Network Type

1. Disconnect the switch from the Wi-Fi and connect using the Ethernet or vice versa. You can use a USB to Ethernet adapter as well.

   

2. Launch Splatoon 3 and see if it is clear of the communication error.

Try Another Network

1. Disconnect the switch from the current network and connect it to another network. You may use a phone’s hotspot or a friend/family Internet connection.

   

2. Launch the Splatoon game and confirm if the issue is resolved.

11. Delete the Saved Data of Splatoon 3

If the Splatoon 3 saved data on the Switch or cloud is damaged, it can cause communication errors during gameplay. This issue can be resolved by deleting the game’s saved data.

Remember, if you don’t back up your game data in the cloud, you will lose all progress.

1. Open the System Settings of the Nintendo Switch and go to Data Management > Manage Software > Splatoon 3.
2. Select Delete All Save Data for This Software.

   

3. Disable Automatic Cloud Save Data Download and Backup for Splatoon 3.
4. Restart the switch and launch Splatoon 3.
5. Play the game and go through the tutorial and Hero Mode.
6. Join a match and see if you no longer get a communication error.

12. Reinstall the Splatoon 3 Game

If the core modules of Splatoon 3 are damaged or invalid, you’ll encounter a communication error. To fix this, reinstall the game on your Switch.

1. Delete the Saved Data of Splatoon 3 (as discussed above).
2. Launch the Nintendo Switch Settings and go to Data Management > Software > Splatoon 3 > Delete Software.

   

3. Confirm to delete the game and restart the switch through the Power Options.
4. Go to the E-Shop and install Splatoon 3.
5. Launch the game and verify if it is clear of the communication error.

13. Reset the Nintendo Switch to factory defaults

If the firmware core components of your Nintendo Switch are damaged, it may lead to frequent disconnections and communication errors in the Splatoon game. Resetting the Switch to its default configuration should resolve this issue.

This will erase all the data from the switch, so, make sure to back it up.

1. Launch the switch’s Settings and go to System > Formatting Options.
2. Select Initialize Console and confirm to initiate the process.

   

3. Once done, set up the console and install Splatoon 3. Hopefully, its communication errors will be cleared.

If the issue persists on other networks, contact your ISP to inspect your UPnP and NAT type settings, or consider requesting them to disable CG-NAT for your connection. Ensure that the necessary game ports are properly forwarded in your router settings if UPnP is unavailable. As a final resort, you may reach out to Nintendo Support.