Nintendo to Launch Switch 2 with Replaceable Battery, End Original Switch Sales

Nintendo will begin selling a version of its Switch 2 console with a user-replaceable battery in autumn 2026, and will cease distribution of the original Nintendo Switch in Europe by February 2027 to comply with new EU battery regulations. Source: abces, excelsiormx

What Happened

On July 6, 2026, Nintendo announced plans to modify its Switch 2 console and various controllers to feature easily swappable batteries, aligning with the EU's Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 requiring user-replaceable batteries in portable devices by mid-February 2027. Source: infobae The original Switch family (including OLED and Lite) will stop being sold to retailers in Europe around February 2027, though remaining stock may still be available after. Source: excelsiormx

Impact on Products

The modified Switch 2 will have a 5,172 mAh battery (approximately 1% less capacity than the current version) and weigh 411g, a 10g increase. Source: abces, elespanol Joy-Con 2 controllers will also get replaceable batteries with minimal changes, while the Pro Controller will see a 16% reduction in capacity to 897 mAh. Source: infobae Nintendo will sell replacement battery kits via its online store. Source: elespanol Availability will roll out gradually across Europe. Source: abces

The Reason

The EU regulation, effective February 18, 2027, mandates that batteries in devices like consoles must be easily removable by end-users. Nintendo opted not to redesign the original Switch for this requirement, instead phasing it out. Source: excelsiormx The company stated there will be "no difference in functionality" between old and new versions, but the hardware changes are necessary to comply. Source: infobae