Nintendo has announced in an official post that several major Tokyo events will be postponed or cancelled, after “persistently receiving threats”. These threats targeted both employees and spectators.
In total, the postponed events include the Splatoon Koshien 2023 National Final Tournament, Splatoon 3 World Championship 2024, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Online Challenge Final Stage, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe World Championship 2024.
According to today’s post, Nintendo will only announce new release dates for these events “once they have been decided”.
Though unfortunate, fans will appreciate how thorough Nintendo is being in order to secure safety, first and foremost.
Nintendo did not confirm the nature and scope of the threats. So, it remains unclear just how long it would take for Nintendo to establish a safe environment again.
These threats must have been serious enough to justify the delays. It’s a terrible counter to the spirit of gaming, which remains one of the best unifiers.
Nintendo is also a family-friendly brand, offering bright and upbeat games, many of which include co-op to encourage families to play together.
The intended events still deserve the opportunity to release. They were going to conclude a lot of hard work and celebrate the winners.
Nintendo Live 2024 TOKYO would have featured key tournaments, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 3 championships.
It is unclear if these threats could spread to Nintendo events in other countries, or even other upcoming events.
After all, today’s official post states that these threats have been “persistent”. And Nintendo holds many annual events, some of which they celebrate around the globe.
For now, fans will have to be patient and supportive as Nintendo works to resolve such a grave issue.
For more on the latest gaming news, you can read about the new 2025 release window for The Last Of Us Season 2.
