Nintendo announced it will stop sales for the Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED Model in Europe next year.
The decision stems from a 2023 ruling by the European Commission, which voted that portable devices sold in the region must be equipped with replaceable batteries. Joining the three models of Switch device are the Switch Pro Controller, Sega Mega Drive and SNES controllers for Switch and Pokémon Go Plus+.
“Starting summer 2026, in preparation for upcoming changes in European battery regulations coming into effect in mid-February 2027, selected Nintendo products in Europe will begin to be replaced on a rolling basis by revisions that contain a user-replaceable battery. There is no difference in functionality between current products and revised products containing user-replaceable batteries,” Nintendo said.
The Switch 2 in Europe will now come with a replaceable battery as it rolls out in 2027. Users can expect to see it in the Fall alongside new versions of the Joy-Con controllers, Joy-Con 2, Switch 2 Pro Controller, and N64 and GameCube Switch controllers – all with replaceable batteries.
Overall, the change doesn’t affect users too much, as the revised Switch 2 houses a smaller battery capacity than the current version at 5172mAh versus 5220mAh, or about a 1 percent reduction. It will also be a bit heavier (10g), and each Joy-Con 2 now adds an extra 2g.
