Gamescom will be kicking off in Cologne, Germany, from 21st-25th August later this year, but sadly Nintendo has confirmed that it will not be in attendance.
As relayed by German publication Games Wirtschaft (thanks, VGC), a Nintendo spokesperson confirmed the following:
"Gamescom is a central event for Nintendo in the event calendar. However, this year, after careful consideration, we have decided against participating in Cologne. Players can try out the games for Nintendo Switch instead as part of other Germany-wide events."
Of course, with rumours of a Switch successor ramping up as we make our way through 2024, many were perhaps hoping that the upcoming console would be shown off at this year's event. Nintendo attended Gamescom in 2023 and it was further reported that the company was showcasing 'Switch 2' dev kits behind closed doors.
More recent reports indicate that the Switch 2, which had widely been rumoured to debut in 2024, has been pushed to 2025 following an internal delay at Nintendo.
While certainly disappointing, we're growing more and more curious as to how Nintendo will fill out the rest of the year on Switch. It currently has Endless Ocean: Luminous, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, and Luigi's Mansion 2 HD in the works, but beyond June, there are no other first-party releases.
Let's get Metroid Prime 4 soon, eh Nintendo..?