Nintendo Switch 2 Is Getting a Replaceable Battery in Europe
1 23Nintendo will stop selling the original Switch in Europe in mid-February 2027, nearly 10 years after the console's launch. In its place, the company will release updated versions of the Switch 2 and several controllers with user-replaceable batteries to comply with new EU regulations. The Verge reports: The news comes as Nintendo is making a bunch of changes to the rest of its lineup due to EU regulations requiring user-replaceable batteries. Starting this summer, the company says it will start introducing updated versions of various devices on "a rolling basis," ahead of the regulations coming into effect on February 18th, 2027. "There is no difference in functionality between current products and revised products containing user-replaceable batteries," Nintendo says.
The Switch 2 is the most notable product being updated -- the new version is expected to start rolling out in the fall -- but there will also be versions of the Joy-Con controllers, Joy-Con 2, Switch 2 Pro Controller, and N64 and GameCube Switch controllers with user-replaceable batteries. "Due to a variety of factors, revised products may not become available in all European countries simultaneously," Nintendo notes.
1 comments
It must be quite a redesign (Score: 5, Informative)
by necro81 ( 917438 ) on Monday July 06, 2026 @02:19PM (#66225350)
Here is iFixit's guide for replacing the Switch 2 battery (last updated 9 May 2026). It is not a simple procedure - harder even than most smartphones I've had to deal with. JIS 00 screwdriver, head and prying to remove stickers, more screws, snap features to pry open - all just to get the case open. Then more screws, unplugging and removing components, some solvent to (hopefully) loosen the battery glue, so that by Step 36 you've removed the old one. A few more steps to install the new one, re-apply thermal paste (?!), reinstall and reconnect the internals, snap the case back together, reinstall fasteners, reapply stickers (if they hold!). Only 63 steps - piece of cake!
Changing this to make for an easy user replacement will be a substantial redesign. And this is all to the good.