Nintendo will launch a new version of its Switch 2 console with replaceable batteries in the European Union

Nintendo has confirmed that it will launch a version of its Switch 2 console with replaceable batteries in 2027 to comply with the European Union Battery Regulation.

The company has reported that it is activating the necessary measures to align with European law and that it is “implementing measures to meet these requirements by preparing product releases“.

Specifically, it refers to Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 regarding batteries and their waste, which Nintendo itself includes on its website, and which explains that “it requires that, as of February 18, 2027, Batteries built into certain devices and sold in the EU must be easily replaceable by end users at any time during the product’s useful life.

Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 also clarifies that “It will be ensured that said batteries can be easily removed and replaced by the end user at any time during the useful life of the product”, which means that Nintendo will have to offer the commercial tools available to disassemble the product, in this case it would be the new Nintendo Switch 2 that will be available in the European Union in 2027.

In this announcement, Nintendo explains that the consoles’ model number begins with ‘BEE’. It’s fair the code prefix for the current Switch 2as well as for the entire ecosystem of products, games and accessories attached to the console.

Future consoles with interchangeable batteries will have unique model numbers and the ‘OSM’ code visible on the packaging so that it can be perfectly identified that a model limited to the legislation of the European Union is being acquired.

In the publication made by the Japanese company there is no mention of the release of versions of the first Switch consoles with replaceable batteries. The last console to hit the market was the Switch 2, with a version with a larger screen, better performance and more storage.