Chronically Krill: A Community for Disabled Cephalopods

…and their allies, too!

Splatoon is often considered to have one of the most diverse and inclusive communities compared to other competitive video games. Even within the comp sphere, people are able to find and form sub-communities based on shared interests or identities. One community that has recently shored up efforts to grow is the Chronically Krill server, dedicated to players and allies of those who are disabled, chronically ill, and/or neurodivergent.

The main hub for this community is found within the Chronically Krill Discord server. You may have heard about them from Squid School’s “New Space for Disabled Splatoon Players” video!

Chronically Krill Discord Server: An Overview

The Discord server for this community aims to serve Competitive Splatoon players and others in the sphere who are disabled. Allies of those folks who may not be disabled, chronically ill, or neurodivergent are also welcome just the same—at the end of the day, everyone’s wish is to build a space to uplift part of the community.

Just how big of a demographic does this server target? Based on data from the 2026 Splatoon Community Census, over one third of respondents said that they had one or more of the listed disabilities, which included mental and intellectual disabilities, physical or sensory-related disabilities, and chronic illness.

That’s a fairly significant part of the Competitive Splatoon community! One of the early goals that the Chronically Krill server had was to attract at least 100 of those folks, which they have recently accomplished, and they are excited to continue growing from here!

How Does This Community Serve its Cephalopods?

Gaining attention and gathering people in a Discord server is just one checkbox on the server’s list. They already have a handful of action items to make this community shine, including but not limited to:

• Fostering a space where members feel comfortable enough to remain active in conversations and other server events.
• Creating regularly-recurring activities such as game nights, both of the Splatoon and non-Splatoon variety.
• Building resources for disabled players and non-disabled, chronically ill, and/or neurodivergent allies to use to help their community members.

The above only addresses things limited to what the Discord server can provide. In the future, they plan to expand discussions and resources to the broader Competitive Splatoon community, including video content and LAN accessibility.

Krilliam, Chronically Krill’s mascot!

Goals and Challenges

Chronically Krill’s primary goal is to get its community more active in competitive spaces: tournaments (online and in-person), organizations, discussions, and more. This is reflected in their mission statement, which is:

For disabled Splatoon players to have community, support, and resources; with the ultimate goal of making the broader Splatoon community more accessible to and accepting of its disabled members.

Just what kinds of challenges does this community face that make it difficult for them to participate? It begins with the core game of Splatoon itself, which has gameplay that requires multiple senses working in sync in a fast-paced environment. Weapons requiring excess physical movement, or available controller options, further limit what this community can play, and how they can play it.

Consider the typical LAN environment, as an example. Some don’t offer accommodations for handheld players, requiring use of smaller, wired Pro controllers and using large monitors as screens instead of the compact Switch screen where information is available without moving the eyes too far.

LANs can become noisy and overwhelmingly packed with people, which can bar chronically ill folks from attending when they worry about catching illnesses from others, or when disabled attendees have trouble using mobility aids in tight spaces.

Some other challenges that these players face include teammates who get frustrated when a flare-up prevents their teammate from playing, or coaches who don’t have the knowledge or resources to effectively teach players with disabilities.

When challenges prevent players from having fun—or even playing at all—it leads to less activity or an exit from the game entirely. Less disabled players around leads to less voices speaking up in community spaces to create accommodation for their peers, ultimately resulting in walls being built that unintentionally bar a subsection of the Competitive Splatoon community from participating at all.

Addressing These Issues: From Chronically Krill Themselves

Founding member and Head Krill kris (krispy_bat on Discord) outlined in an organization proposal a timeline of goals for Chronically Krill to achieve to combat the issues that their community faces:

Short-term goal To give disabled Splatoon players a space to connect with each other, share resources, and provide support.

Mid-term goal To increase the activity of disabled Splatoon players within the broader Splatoon community (including team-building, coaching, content creation, tournament organization, community groups such as the Stronghold Beginners Academy, etc.).

Long-term goal To make the broader Splatoon community more accepting of and accessible to its disabled members through the activity and visibility of disabled experiences.

Chronically Krill accomplishing these goals helps make the broader Competitive Splatoon community more welcoming to its disabled, chronically ill, and neurodivergent members. It is critical to keep in mind that allies are just as important in fostering that safe space.

While over one-third of the community is open about their disabilities, the percentage of players who do not have any disabilities, are unsure about having any, or do not wish to disclose that information should not be overlooked. The best way to uphold and build upon the Competitive Splatoon scene’s reputation as diverse and inclusive is to ensure it is inclusive of everyone, regardless of ability to play the game.

Want to get involved in the Chronically Krill community? The group is looking for more members and staff! You can find the Discord server here: https://discord.com/invite/GWdCHMP4CU. You can also check them out on social media, on the Chronically Krill Bluesky page!

Original Posting Date: September 30, 2026 at Splatoon Stronghold.

Written/formatted for publication by YELLOW, in collaboration with Chronically Krill.