Nintendo skipping GC '08

German wing of House of Mario says it will not attend annual tradeshow in Leipzig due to positive reaction to smaller, more intimate gatherings.

As the E3 Media & Business Summit suffers through its transitional pains in North America, the Leipzig Games Convention is enduring a similar state of uncertainty. Earlier this year, the German trade body Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware (BIU) said it would be relocating its annual convention to Cologne in 2009 to better accommodate the estimated 200,000 visitors the event is expected to attract. However, since the Leipzig fair has the rights to the name "Games Convention," the BIU will be renaming its show GamesCom.

With this year's Games Convention being the last in the foreseeable future, Nintendo Germany said today that it would not be attending the event. Nintendo said that it had received a positive reception to the Wii and DS through smaller, local events and it would continue to hold these more intimate gatherings through the last half of 2008.

In its statement, Nintendo stressed that it bore the Games Convention no ill will. It also noted that its decision does not serve as an early indication of its intent to attend or not attend the BIU's GamesCom in Cologne next year.

38 Comments

  • scalledes

    Posted Jun 25, 2008 5:00 am PT

    Ok, Nintendo out that will be a kick in the..... for some.....for most..that are going to be present at the GC 08'. And maybe we don't need any game conventions anymore......Still China has its 6th Game and cosplay convention called "China Joy" in July (I'll be covering it!!) and it seems to grow year by year. You don't see big names like: Nintendo or Microsoft,etc...but this year Sony entertainment Asia is going to be there....so that is good news.
    No, I do believe that game conventions are still necessary for those smaller game developing companies. A game convention should be like the name says: Convention : "A gathering of individuals who meet at a pre-arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest" and not some "Vegas show". Lets be honest...most of us go to see the Booth-Girls anyway...(did I mention they will have a miss China Joy Election this year!)...hehehehe...guilty as charged!!
    Watch for my blog next month...I will be posting pics and interesting articles concerning this ever growing game convention and the gaming community in China!

  • XenoLair

    Posted May 29, 2008 10:54 am PT

    Ok i was all happy to go to GC this year and now i see this.... no Nintendo? not gonna be there ... saved me 500km worth of gas..

  • thps48

    Posted May 28, 2008 4:10 pm PT

    So, Nintendo took another step to plant a fist into the face of the hardcore market?...

    P.S. I want MOTHER3

  • BtmnHatesRbn

    Posted May 28, 2008 7:15 am PT

    Well, COMDEX was first, then everybody else fell apart. The people who pointed out that the Internet's instant-news ability is the reason why people don't need big conventions is dead-on. COMDEX was cool when you couldn't go to versiontracker.com (owned by CNET) and download a beta, so the only place to get the beta or try the product was at the convention. I remember at many CESs and E3s where the games there were ONLY there. Now, like with Steam, I can get a beta of their new product, and give it a go. Also, the magazines are gone, more or less (I won't pay $6 to $12 for something that's also three months out of date), and plus, WE have the ability to discuss the games news/rumors/issues/POVs right here in a forum or comments section of these gaming sites (praise the Lord of this, actually, as when I grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, I was the "nerd" because I LOVE VIDEO GAMES! Hey, shouldn't that be a VH-1 show, since they're kind of nerdy now?) Don't get me wrong, I love conventions, I loved every COMDEX, CES, Macworld, E3, and Comic Con I've ever been to, but after a time, it gets to be bothersome. Like my freak-out at Winter CES 1995, when the SAME products were shown again from the last two years (Neo-Geo CD and 3DO's M2 were shown in "demo" form again), and that year still had no announcement from Nintendo about Nintendo 64 (called either Ultra Nintendo or Ultra 64 depending on who you asked). And yes, my room was stacked top to bottom with comics and video games magazines. Okay, enough about the past, but Nintendo's right: localized events. That's how I got to play a Wii and decided to buy one. Best purchase I made in a long time, so Nintendo's right about it working. And I'm sure the cost of the booth and such also factored in, but that's real world talking there, as they have employees to pay who need to support their families or habits.

  • sandshark8

    Posted May 27, 2008 8:42 pm PT

    word fencingbean

  • nate1222

    Posted May 26, 2008 11:52 am PT

    I kinda get Nintendo's point. These great-big conventions just don't seem as 'gamer-centric' as the smaller ones. The big coventions feel more like Vegas lights shows. Where as the smaller get-togethers feel more like they're focused on games, niche market stuff and the sub-cutures and genres there in. I actually prefer it that way.

  • BigSmitts07

    Posted May 26, 2008 10:14 am PT

    game conventions are just dropping left and right.....lame

  • fencingbean

    Posted May 25, 2008 3:49 am PT

    dont need game conventions anymore

  • starfoxmcleoud

    Posted May 24, 2008 5:01 pm PT

    Does this mean that they're bringing back the Nintendo Fusion Tour?!?!

  • asimplerapper

    Posted May 24, 2008 5:13 am PT

    @MonkishGamer, I hear that that game was scrapped by nintendo. It only served as a tech demo to demonstrate the Wiimote abilities before the Wii was released.

    This is at least according to Power Unlimited, a game magazine.

  • Cross_Bone

    Posted May 23, 2008 10:05 pm PT

    Nintendo should just bring back Space World.

  • MonkishGamer

    Posted May 23, 2008 7:49 pm PT

    Whatever happened to Project HAMMER. Will it ever really be Hammer Time? (MC Hammer Reference)

  • fon1988

    Posted May 23, 2008 6:27 pm PT

    Game conventions are useless now. Now that we have updates by the hour of exactly wuts going on, we don't need them anymore.

  • ImSwordMan

    Posted May 23, 2008 3:17 pm PT

    Theres still E3, and TGS.

  • lamprey263

    Posted May 23, 2008 2:54 pm PT

    These game conventions were useful back in the days when the only game news updates people got were through their gaming magazines. Now, content at the game conventions are up on YouTube in a matter of hours.

  • xgalacticax

    Posted May 23, 2008 2:43 pm PT

    ok

  • Ranteal

    Posted May 23, 2008 2:03 pm PT

    Game conventions are done. Theres no main one anymore, so all these different companys will more than not, start there own.

  • redskinStu

    Posted May 23, 2008 1:48 pm PT

    Buzzing? About the DS?
    Then a lot of people need to get out mroe often.

  • The_AI

    Posted May 23, 2008 1:21 pm PT

    Crap.

  • Killer2401

    Posted May 23, 2008 1:01 pm PT

    Now when are we going to see all the new games?

  • cd19

    Posted May 23, 2008 12:32 pm PT

    Don't forget folks, all the reports last year mention that Tokyo Game Show had turned from a "Sony show" to a "Nintendo Show". The ironic part ? Nintendo wasn't even at the show ! Miyamoto just showed up and did a little interview and everyone was buzzing about the Wii and DS the rest of the weekend.

  • tennis12master

    Posted May 23, 2008 12:27 pm PT

    I don't mind at all; E3's where it's all at. Nintendo's probably going to show Disaster: Day of Crisis. Yayah!

  • plaestic posted May 23, 2008 12:24 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    plaestic

    Posted May 23, 2008 12:24 pm PT (hide)

    Nintendo only disappoints. I imagine the dedicated fans have already bought all the games they're going to buy until 2011.

  • MonkishGamer

    Posted May 23, 2008 12:19 pm PT

    I'm just looking forward to Nintendo's appearance at E3. They say it's going to be big, and knowing Nintendo there's no telling what they'll show off. I'm thinking a new Wii-(Insert Casual Market Magnet Here) and (Hopefully) a Twilight Princess sequel. Twilight Princess was one of the best games I've ever played. Nintendo will not dissapoint.

  • grigjd3

    Posted May 23, 2008 12:11 pm PT

    Nintendo's market isn't exactly inundated with people who go to gaming conventions.

  • foxpro-gt posted May 23, 2008 12:06 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    foxpro-gt

    Posted May 23, 2008 12:06 pm PT (hide)

    Nintendo dont have anything up there sleeve no more. there biggest card (smash bros) is already used so what news could nintendo possible have that will excite peeps? XD

  • cashmoney714

    Posted May 23, 2008 11:58 am PT

    even if they did attend...what possible news could they have had?

  • peeweeshift

    Posted May 23, 2008 11:57 am PT

    It saddens me that the gaming industry has changed so much in the past few years. Sure the games are getting better and better and demands are rising for top quality games which is a good thing always but this has resulted in many arcades closing down and game developers going out of business and being bought out. There are more timed releases now so companies can get maximum revenue. eg.You won't see nfs or burnout come out in the same ever cause ea owns both of them.
    E3 has become so different. Last year was nothing like how it was before. Even the 6th gen consoles had great e3s. I remember going seeing all the cosplayers, booth babes, the light shows above and the whole place littered with statues of gaming icons all around. The booths for the games were sometimes were built specifically for e3. I remember watching medal of honor in a booth that was shaped like a both and it was awesome. Heck even the halo 2 e3 game trailer was amazing. Last year i was one of the few thousands who went there. A lot less lively and it was mainly journalists who were there and some employees of big game blogs/sites/mags.

  • Agreb91

    Posted May 23, 2008 11:32 am PT

    This doesn't really matter since there is really no big announcements at this event.

  • jaredcrazy3232

    Posted May 23, 2008 11:17 am PT

    unfortunatly e3 isnt back to its old self.

  • travt-down

    Posted May 23, 2008 11:14 am PT

    They didnt go last year, or the year before, or the year before that. Why start now? With E3 back to its old self, why bother with much else?

  • Lucidmike78

    Posted May 23, 2008 11:12 am PT

    Just say it Nintendo. You didn't want to pay for the insane price they quoted you.

  • Lauryn2000

    Posted May 23, 2008 11:12 am PT

    Not surprised...not at all...by this...

  • zeldafan1234

    Posted May 23, 2008 11:08 am PT

    o well

  • VegetaMaelstrom

    Posted May 23, 2008 11:07 am PT

    I wish companies like Nintendo and Activision were just honest and say that they don't want to spend the necessary money to attend these shows.

  • kos1085

    Posted May 23, 2008 10:53 am PT

    Just disappointed!!!!..........Then again why not save all the good stuff for E3.

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