Nintendo to End Original Switch Production in Europe by 2027 to Meet New Battery Laws
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Nintendo is halting production of the original Nintendo Switch in Europe by February 2027 to comply with new EU right-to-repair laws requiring user-replaceable batteries.
Nintendo has confirmed that production of the original Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED will officially end in Europe starting in mid-February 2027. According to a recent report by Ford James at Polygon, the phase-out is driven by upcoming European Union legislation mandating that consumer electronics feature easily user-replaceable batteries. Rather than altering hardware functionality, Nintendo is updating its production lines to comply with these right to repair standards across multiple hardware generations.
To meet the new regulations, upcoming hardware revisions will feature user-replaceable batteries, though players should expect minor physical adjustments. The revised Switch 2 console will see a slight weight increase of about 10 grams alongside a one percent reduction in battery capacity, while the Switch 2 Pro Controller will be lighter with a sixteen percent smaller battery. Nintendo plans to roll out these compliant revisions gradually across Europe beginning in the summer of 2026 and continuing into early 2027.
While this rollout is currently specific to Europe, regulatory shifts like this often set a global precedent for hardware manufacturing. For players, this move represents a major win for hardware longevity and right to repair advocacy, even if it comes with minor compromises in weight and capacity. As the industry shifts toward more sustainable and repairable designs, players can look forward to hardware that is easier to maintain over long console lifecycles.
Tags: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Hardware, EU Regulation, Gaming News
Original article: Polygon