Nintendo Discontinues Switch Family in Europe Over Battery Laws

## Nintendo Co., Ltd. will discontinue the sale of the original Switch family—including the standard, Lite, and OLED models—to retailers and via its online store in Europe and the UK starting in mid-February 2027. The decision follows European Union battery regulations requiring portable electronics to feature user-replaceable batteries by February 18, 2027. To avoid redesigning the decade-old hardware, the company is retiring the line in Europe while continuing sales in all other major global regions.

To maintain compliance, Nintendo is introducing revised hardware for the upcoming Switch 2 and its accessories on a rolling basis starting in summer 2026. The Switch 2 console, launching in Europe this fall, will feature a replaceable battery, weigh approximately 10 to 14 grams more than the standard model, and include a slightly smaller 5,172mAh battery. Updated Joy-Con 2 and Switch 2 Pro controllers will arrive this winter, followed by N64 and GameCube controllers in early 2027. Some original accessories, such as NES and SNES controllers, will be sunset without compliant replacements.

Production of the original Switch family will continue throughout 2026 to ensure availability. The company will also sell battery replacement kits via the Nintendo Store in Europe and confirmed that the eShop and Nintendo Switch Online services will continue for the foreseeable future. Separately, Nintendo is increasing the U.S. price of the Switch 2 from $449.99 to $499.99 on September 1, 2026, citing rising component costs due to a global LPDDR5X memory shortage.