02 August 2023 , 18:00
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With Nintendo attending Gamescom for the first time in four years, the question beckons, will the gaming giants announce the next generation of its iconic Nintendo Switch console?
Nintendo will be attending Gamescom 2023, for the first time since 2019 and it feels like all of the clues are pointing towards a Nintendo Switch 2 reveal at the event – but not through a public showcase. With Nintendo yet to confirm if the device is even coming – despite leaks stating it will drop in 2024 – it feels like we'll see a confirmation of a Nintendo Switch 2 during the Gamescom period as the company meets with developers.
When Nintendo first announced it would be at Gamescom back in April, the company's presence at the event set up expectations for major IP reveals for the June 2023 Nintendo Direct. However, after announcing a pretty beefy gaming lineup, including Super Mario Bros Wonder and Super Mario RPG, is seems like we won't be seeing more of these titles. Gamescom is just a matter of weeks away, but the publisher has yet to confirm that it's showing off its software lineup there.
So what's the real reason Nintendo will be at Gamescom after a four year hiatus? Our guess is the Nintendo Switch 2.
Direct to the point
It seems likely – given the lack of software news – that Nintendo's main reason for attending Gamescom is to discuss and showcase the Nintendo Switch 2 with partners and developers at one of the largest industry events of the year. Both the Nintendo Wii and Wii U were unveiled at E3, with prior consoles being announced at Nintendo's own Space World events in Japan, so an announcement at an in-person event outside of US and Japan would be unprecedented.
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However, since the launch of the Wii U, Nintendo has moved away from holding press conferences at shows like E3 – opting to host its own Nintendo Direct presentations instead. This approach extended to the Nintendo Switch launch which was announced in 2016 via a teaser Tweet and followed by a reveal trailer on it's YouTube channel the following day.
If the company is planning on bringing the Nintendo Switch 2 to Gamescom, details will undoubtedly leak out in the weeks following the event. Realistically, the best route Nintendo could pursue in order to avoid the rug being pulled out from under it is to get out ahead of the conference and publicly confirm the console itself.