Nintendo Ends Original Switch Sales In Europe Over New Battery Rules
After a nearly 10-year run, Nintendo has decided to pull all versions of its original Switch handheld from Europe rather than revise the consoles to be in compliance with upcoming changes to European battery regulations, the company announced. The decision affects the Switch, Switch OLED, and Switch Lite, all of which will continue to be manufactured throughout the rest of the year.
"From mid-February 2027, almost ten years after Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017, Nintendo will no longer sell to retailers hardware in the Nintendo Switch family of systems – specifically Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite and Nintendo Switch – OLED Model. Sales of Nintendo Switch hardware on Nintendo Store will also end in mid-February 2027," Nintendo states in an FAQ section of a new advisory.
Europe's revised battery rules go into effect on February 28, 2027. Part of the new regulation requires that batteries integrated into certain electronics, including handheld gaming devices like the Switch and Switch 2, must be easy to replace by the end user during the product's lifetime.
It is actually possible to swap out the battery in an OG Switch console, and in the grand scheme of things, it's not all that difficult compared to some devices. However, the process is a bit more involved than simply removing the cover and popping out the battery pack. Here's a quick tutorial by the teardown gurus at iFixit:
While sales of the original Switch family are ending in Europe, Nintendo is making a revision to the Switch 2 to be in compliance with the new regulations.
"The first revised products are expected to become available from summer 2026, with additional products becoming available in autumn, winter, and early 2027. Due to a variety of factors, revised products may not become available in all European countries simultaneously," Nintendo says.
It's a shame that the same change in design is not being made to all Switch 2 consoles in every region, especially with planned price hike that goes into effect in September, but outside of the DIY repair factor, Nintendo ensures there will be no difference in functionality between the current iteration and the revised model. In other words, the revised model will not be faster or more capable in any way, it will just be easier to swap out the battery.
Nintendo's advisory also states that it is retooling its Joy-Con 2 controllers in Europe, as well as revising a few other products.
