Nintendo Gamescom 2026 Plans Spark New Zelda Remake and Direct Speculation

Nintendo’s Gamescom 2026 appearance is fueling speculation about new Switch 2 games, major remakes, and a summer Direct.

Nintendo has officially confirmed it will attend Gamescom 2026. “This could be one of the biggest marketing events of the year for the company.” The gaming giant said it will be at the entire event, which runs from Aug. 26 to Aug. 30 in Cologne, Germany. Last year’s convention was a huge success, with one of the largest and busiest show floors there.

Nintendo hasn't said which games it will bring to Gamescom 2026 yet, but confirming its attendance has already sparked a lot of talk in the gaming community. Last year was a big year for gaming with games such as Metroid Prime 4, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Hades II.

Some of those games still don’t have full release plans, even a year later, so this year’s show is even more interesting. Nintendo's 2026 release schedule for the second half of the year is surprisingly light, leading many fans to think the company is planning a big summer event before Gamescom.

Fire Emblem: Fortune Weave and The Duskbloods are two projects that are now being widely discussed for the second half of 2026. Many people in the industry believe Nintendo is holding a few announcements for a larger display. Fire Emblem: Fortune Weave and The Duskbloods are two projects that are now being widely discussed for the second half of 2026.

More and more people in the industry believe Nintendo is holding a few announcements for a larger display. Instead, the company surprised people with sudden, separate news. For example, they showed a presentation for a new Star Fox project with very little notice.

Nintendo's unpredictable strategy for revealing new games keeps raising huge expectations for its summer presentation.

Other announcements, like Splatoon Raiders and the Switch version of Xenoblade Chronicles X, came through digital outlets and trailers almost out of the blue. Even though the rollout plan isn't typical, many analysts still think Nintendo will hold a big General Nintendo Direct in the summer.

There have already been rumors of a possible partner-focused showcase in May, but those claims lack much evidence. There are still many fans who hope Nintendo puts on a full first-party show ahead of another smaller partner event. There has also been more talk about when a possible summer Direct might happen.

Some people think Nintendo might have a big event in early June, maybe right before Summer Game Fest starts. This would give Nintendo time to set up its second-half lineup before the summer, when the gaming business as a whole is all the talk of the town. Then, Gamescom could be the company's chance to get those newly mentioned games into players' hands right away.

Nintendo might not use the event for big announcements on stage, but instead focus on a big playable booth setting like the one they had last year. Fans and the media would be able to try out new Switch games months before they come out, and gaming videos and previews would get a lot of attention online.

A lot of people are already talking online about a few possible Gamescom visits. The Duskbloods might get a big hands-on demo, and Fire Emblem: Fortune Weave might also show up if it comes out later this year. But the biggest reports right now are about a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which has been discussed for a long time.

Some old Nintendo series might return with major changes for the Switch 2.

If the remake is officially announced before the show, many people expect Nintendo to let Gamescom attendees play early builds of the game. That would probably spawn so much talk about how the graphics are improved, how the game is played, and what changes were made to make it more modern for the Switch 2 generation.

Aside from Zelda, more reports are going around about other projects that haven't been announced yet. Fans have talked about a possible Luigi's Mansion 4, and rumors about a Super Metroid remake have been circulating for a long time and have resurfaced in the last few months. Nintendo hasn't said anything publicly about these projects, but excitement about the company's plan for the second half of 2026 is growing quickly.

For now, Nintendo's announcement that it will be at Gamescom 2026 has only made people more excited about the upcoming big Nintendo Direct. The next few months could be among the most crucial for Nintendo reveals in years, as the company is expected to bring several unreleased Switch 2 projects to Cologne.