Nintendo to Cease Production of Original Switch in Europe Amid Major Hardware Updates
Hidden within the FAQs of a related support post, Nintendo has announced that production of the Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED will come to an end starting mid-February 2027. While this news is currently specific to Europe, it’s reasonable to expect similar announcements for other regions soon.
This decision is partly driven by new European regulations mandating that batteries in consumer devices must be easily removable and replaceable by users. Nintendo is aligning with these requirements across several products, including the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console, the Switch 2 pro controller, the original Switch and Switch 2 joy-cons, as well as the N64 and GameCube controllers for the Switch 2.
“Beginning in summer 2026, in anticipation of the new European battery regulations set to take effect in mid-February 2027, select Nintendo products in Europe will gradually be replaced with versions that feature user-replaceable batteries,” the post states. “There will be no functional differences between the current products and the revised versions with user-replaceable batteries.”
The first of these revised products is expected to launch in summer 2026, with more rolling out in the autumn, winter, and early 2027. However, availability may vary across different European countries due to various factors.
On the downside, the Nintendo Switch 2 console will be about 10g heavier with the new battery (14g heavier with joy-cons attached) and will have a 1% smaller battery capacity. The Switch 2 pro controller will see a 16% reduction in battery capacity but will be 7g lighter.
Functionality remains unchanged for all listed products, and for those in Europe, the support post includes a table detailing when each product will be available in the Nintendo Store. If you’re looking to grab the new Switch 2 console with a replaceable battery, it will be available in the autumn.
The new Switch 2 will feature replaceable batteries to comply with the EU’s “right to repair” laws.
