A while ago, the EU passed regulations that consumer electronic devices like smartphones and the Nintendo Switch 2 needed removable batteries. This was meant to cut down on electronic waste from unusable devices, as well as let buyers and resellers maintain them without the need for help from an official support team.
So, to get ready for the legislation to take effect in February 2027, Nintendo have announced they’re releasing revised versions of the Switch 2 and its accessories that work under these regulations. Here’s the list of products that’ll be getting updated variants starting from Summer 2026:
- Joy-Con pair (selected colours)
- Joy-Con (L) Neon Blue
- Joy-Con (R) Neon Red
- Nintendo Switch 2 console
- Joy-Con 2 pair
- Joy-Con 2 (L)
- Joy-Con 2 (R)
- Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
- Nintendo 64 (N64) Controller for Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo GameCube (GCN) Controller for Nintendo Switch 2
As you can see, pretty much every device related to the Switch 2 is being updated to fit the new laws. There will be a few minor changes here (like certain devices being slightly lighter or heavier than before, or the battery capacity being slightly changed in a few cases (the updated Switch 2 has 1% less capacity, while the pro controller has 16% less and the N64 one has 5% more), but for the most part the designs and functionality will remain the same.
That said, there is one thing you might see missing here. One piece of hardware that has no information about its updates on the page at all.
The original Nintendo Switch.
What’s going on there?
Well, as Nintendo says themselves, it’s being discontinued in Europe. Indeed, as per the FAQ answer below, the original Switch is being phased out in European countries from mid February 2027:
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.
And it’s unknown whether that’s the case elsewhere as well. On the one hand, other regions don’t necessitate this redesign. Since these battery laws haven’t been passed in North America or Japan, there’s technically no reason the original console can’t be sold as usual there. In theory, they could keep it going in those regions until the stock runs dry.
But here’s the thing. There’s also no real reason to keep making the Switch in 2027 and beyond either. It’s long outlived previous Nintendo systems, and the company themselves has clearly moved onto developing for the Switch 2 instead.
Hence, we wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to discontinue it for everyone else too. 10 years is an impressive run for any console, and it’s not going to sell many more units going forward. May as well just call it a day on the thing rather than waste factory resources and shop space on a system that’s long past its prime.
Regardless, that’s how the Switch 2 is being revised in line with new EU regulations, and how the original Switch is being discontinued in that region. Leave your thoughts on the matter in the comments below, or on our Discord server today.
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