Confirming what may be bad news for many Nintendo fans, the console giant reveals its plan to skip a popular gaming showcase coming in a few months.
Highlights
- Nintendo is opting out of Gamescom this year.
- Nintendo's plans for the Switch 2 unveiling remain uncertain.
- Rumor has it that the Switch 2 will launch in 2025.
Despite the rumors of an imminent Switch 2 announcement, Nintendo fans may have some disappointing news to deal with first before any update on the next-gen console. To be more precise, Nintendo has reportedly confirmed that it is set to miss a major gaming exhibition later this year.
The wildly successful Nintendo Switch is in its 7th year of existence, and it is finding it increasingly hard to keep up with demanding AAA games. With the rumored Switch 2 waiting in the wings, these hardware limitations could soon be addressed as Nintendo looks to write the next chapter of its console legacy. However, it seems like the plans to announce the Switch successor may have taken a backseat based on recent news.
As reported by Games Wirtschaft, a Nintendo spokesperson has confirmed that the company will not be an exhibitor at Gamescom this year. According to the translated text, the Switch maker noted that it reached this decision "after careful consideration." While the list of companies attending the event hasn't been released yet, fans had been expecting Nintendo to make an appearance based on its participation last year. The annual gaming showcase will return to Cologne, Germany, on August 21.
Even though it isn't the first time Nintendo has opted to skip a major gaming exhibition, there had been growing anticipation for the rumored Switch 2 announcement to take place at Gamescom 2024. This is partly due to reports from last year stating that Nintendo secretly held a Switch 2 demo for developers at Gamescom 2023. However, it now appears that the Japan-based company has other plans and may have pushed back its next console or chosen another date for its unveiling.
Switch 2 Rumors Point Towards a Launch Next Year
In recent years, the progress of Nintendo Switch games has stalled in terms of visual upgrades. For instance, there are only slight graphical improvements in Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom compared to its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, despite the latter releasing 6 years earlier. With the latest rumor suggesting that Switch 2 could arrive in a year, it seems to be only a matter of time before games on Nintendo consoles make the leap to next-gen graphics.
According to the rumors and leaks till now, Nintendo could launch Switch 2 as soon as early 2025. In addition, reports reveal that it is concurrently focused on first-party games that will launch alongside the console. While it is certain there won't be any announcement about the Switch successor at Gamescom in August, Nintendo may instead make a presentation at a different event or during one of its Nintendo Direct livestreams, whose next edition is rumored to be slated for either May or June this year.
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