Nintendo reportedly showed Switch 2 console at Gamescom 2023

A new report from Eurogamer has alleged Gamescom 2023 played host to a behind-closed-doors reveal for the highly-anticipated successor to the Nintendo Switch console. While Eurogamer did not have the opportunity to get hands-on, reporter Tom Phillips believes a number of partner developers were shown the console in some capacity.

Reportedly, a demonstration featured a “souped up” version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild “designed to hit the Switch 2’s beefier target specs”. This was described as a “tech demo” solely for the purpose of showing off console performance. No further details about this alleged tech demo have been revealed.

Sony Interactive Entertainment took a similar approach in the leadup to the launch of the PlayStation 5, using a familiar PlayStation 4 game, Marvel’s Spider-Man, to showcase increased loading times.

Nintendo has yet to officially confirm the existence of the rumoured console, and whether it will introduce anticipated features like heartier performance, 4K resolutions, and backward compatibility. Per industry reporting, it does appear Nintendo is gearing up for a larger, public reveal in 2024 – but for now, that remains speculation.

Read: Nintendo to Release New Switch Successor Due in 2024, Reports Say

While commentary around the Nintendo Switch has often focussed on it heading towards the end of a typical console life cycle (around seven years), Nintendo has continued to enjoy major, continuing success with the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser recently put this down to a unique hybrid design, and a strong year for the company buoyed by popular gaming releases.

Nintendo doesn’t strictly need a new console, as it continues to experience year-on-year success, regardless of foibles like console age. The Nintendo Switch occupies a niche, and demand for that niche remains high.

With upcoming titles like Detective Pikachu Returns, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Super Mario RPG, the untitled Princess Peach game, and more, there’s also a strong lineup of upcoming games to keep players engaged with the original Switch.

Once these games release, the future of the console does get murkier. While the alleged behind-closed-doors meeting at Gamescom 2023 suggests Nintendo is planning for change soon, questions still linger about what a follow-up Nintendo console looks like, and whether it will actually make an appearance in 2024. In the coming months, we expect a firmer answer to this question – so stay tuned as Nintendo‘s plans are slowly, officially revealed.