Nintendo halts sales of the original Switch in Europe.

      Almost a decade after its debut, the original Nintendo Switch will disappear from European stores next year. The reason is a new EU regulation regarding batteries, not the forthcoming Switch 2.

      As reported by The Verge, Nintendo will cease sales of all versions of the original Switch in Europe starting mid-February 2027, just weeks before the console's tenth anniversary. This decision affects the Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED models, with sales to both retailers and through the Nintendo Store ending.

      The change is driven by new battery regulations. From February 18, 2027, portable devices sold in the EU must allow users to replace their own batteries. Nintendo plans to discontinue the current models and introduce updated versions that comply with the new rule, beginning this summer, and assures "no difference in functionality" between the old and new models.

      The Switch 2 will experience the most significant changes. A variant with a user-replaceable battery is expected to hit stores in the fall, according to Engadget. The differences in specifications are minimal; the new battery capacity is 5,172mAh compared to the current 5,220mAh, which is a reduction of about 1 percent, while the console will gain approximately 10 grams. Revised Joy-Con controllers, the Switch 2 Pro Controller, and updated N64 and GameCube pads will be introduced gradually.

      However, not everything will continue. Nintendo plans to retire the original Switch Pro Controller, as well as its Sega Mega Drive and SNES pads, alongside the Pokémon Go Plus+ accessory. None of these will receive a replacement model with a user-replaceable battery. These regulations will impact the 35 markets served by Nintendo of Europe, including the UK and Germany, along with others such as Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

      As for the future, Nintendo has not confirmed if this discontinuation will extend beyond Europe. Ending production of the aging hardware worldwide may be appealing due to increasing manufacturing costs and the transition to the Switch 2, yet the original console still has life left, with new first-party titles on the horizon like Rhythm Heaven Groove and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream.

      Initially targeted at phones, these battery regulations will quietly mark the end for one of the best-selling consoles in gaming within its home region.