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Nintendo Will Stop Selling First‑Gen Switches in Europe Over New EU Battery Rules

EU regulations that take effect on 18 February 2027 require user-replaceable batteries and have led Nintendo to prioritize redesigned Switch 2 and controller models while offering replacement-battery kits.

Overview

  • Nintendo told retailers that it will stop delivering the first-generation Switch family — the Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite and Switch OLED — and several accessories to European stores from mid‑February 2027.
  • The company says the move responds to the EU battery regulation, which requires many devices to offer user-replaceable batteries, and Nintendo chose not to retrofit the older Switch hardware for compliance.
  • Nintendo plans a phased rollout of redesigned products that meet the rules, starting with selected Joy‑Con colors this summer, a revised Switch 2 in autumn 2026, and individual Joy‑Con 2 and the Switch 2 Pro Controller in winter with N64 and GameCube-style controllers following in early 2027.
  • Technical changes are small: the revised Switch 2 is about 10 grams heavier with a slightly smaller battery (≈5,172 mAh) and the Pro Controller’s battery drops about 16 percent, and Nintendo will sell official replacement-battery kits through its online store.
  • Existing consoles sold before the cutoff are unaffected, Nintendo will continue eShop and Switch Online services for the first-gen platform for the foreseeable future, and it is unclear whether the redesigned hardware will be offered outside Europe.