Koelnmesse and The German Games Industry Association announced Nintendo will return for Gamescom 2023 after its four-year absence from the annual event. The announcement also comes after E3 2023’s official cancellation, which several companies such as Microsoft and Nintendo planned to skip.
Nintendo Returns to Gamescom
In a new tweet by the official Gamescom Twitter account, the companies confirm Nintendo will return as an official exhibitor for Gamescom 2023. Attendees and media can expect games and booths by Nintendo at the annual Gamescom event this August. This is the first Gamescom event that Nintendo is directly participating in since Gamescom 2019.
Alongside Nintendo’s confirmation for Gamescom 2023, players can expect several game announcements during Gamescom 2023 Opening Night Live. Hosted by The Game Awards showrunner Geoff Keighley, the Gamescom 2023 Opening Night Live showcase on August 22 will feature new game announcements, updates on existing games, and new footage. The showcase is expected to last one and a half to two hours.
Nintendo’s return to Gamescom comes just weeks after the ESA and ReedPop officially cancelled E3 2023. Multiple publishers including Devolver Digital, Nintendo, and Ubisoft confirmed their absence from E3 2023 before the cancellation was made. Additionally, reports revealed that SEGA and Tencent were planning to skip E3 2023 entirely. Publishers are planning to ramp up support for Summer Game Fest 2023 instead.
“ReedPop and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) have announced that both the digital and physical events for E3 2023 are cancelled,” the official E3 Twitter account said last month.
Geoff Keighley will host the Summer Game Fest 2023 Showcase on June 8 at 3 p.m. EDT. The showcase will be held from the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California. Like Gamescom 2023 Opening Night Live, Summer Game Fest 2023 Showcase will feature new game announcements, gameplay footage, trailers, and updates. The upcoming Xbox Showcase will be part of the upcoming Summer Game Fest 2023 festivities this June as well.
Lastly, Gamescom 2023 takes place from August 23 to 27 at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany.
