Nintendo is getting serious: Back in the spring, we reported on the planned EU version of the Switch 2 with a removable battery. Now the manufacturer has confirmed specific dates and details—and they’re more extensive than expected. In addition to the new Switch 2 revision, several older products are being phased out of the market entirely.
Nintendo Switch 2 Revision Coming This Fall
On an official support page, Nintendo confirms that the updated Nintendo Switch 2 will be released as early as fall 2026—much sooner than many had expected. The benefit for buyers: The battery will be easier to replace in the future, without having to go through Nintendo Support. The catch, however: The capacity drops from 5,220 mAh to 5,172 mAh—a decrease of about 1 percent—while the weight increases by 10 grams to 411 grams.
The Joy-Con 2 will also be redesigned and feature a user-replaceable battery. GameCube and Nintendo 64 controllers will follow suit in early 2027. The Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller will receive a new version with a replaceable battery as early as this winter—though here, the capacity loss is significantly greater at 16 percent, dropping to just 897 mAh.
These products will be discontinued
At the same time, Nintendo will make a clean break in February 2027: All versions of the first-generation Switch—including the Nintendo Switch Lite and Nintendo Switch OLED—will then be taken off the market. The same applies to the Pokémon Go Plus+, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, the NES controller, the SEGA Mega Drive Control Pad, and the SNES controller. Surprisingly, the first-generation Joy-Cons, of all things, remain unaffected and will continue to be available for purchase.
EU Right to Repair as the Trigger
The reason for all these changes is new EU regulations: The Right to Repair Directive requires manufacturers to produce devices that are easier to repair, while the EU Battery Regulation will make the easy replacement of rechargeable batteries mandatory starting in early 2027. Rather than going to the trouble of retrofitting older products, Nintendo apparently prefers the easier route for part of its lineup: discontinuing products instead of adapting them.
