Nintendo has halted the sale of the original Switch in Europe.
Almost a decade after its debut, the original Nintendo Switch is set to disappear from European retailers next year. This decision is due to a new EU regulation concerning batteries, rather than the launch of the Switch 2.
According to The Verge, Nintendo will cease the sale of all versions of the original Switch in Europe starting in mid-February 2027, just weeks before the console’s tenth anniversary. This discontinuation includes the standard Switch, the Switch Lite, and the Switch OLED model. Both retail and Nintendo Store sales will conclude.
Cause of the change: battery regulations
A new EU rule is behind this decision. Beginning on February 18, 2027, portable devices sold within the EU must allow users to replace their own batteries. Nintendo will begin to phase out existing models and introduce updated ones that meet these requirements, starting this summer. The company assures that there will be "no difference in functionality" between the old and new models.
The Switch 2 will undergo the most significant redesign, with a version featuring a user-replaceable battery expected to hit stores in the fall, as reported by Engadget. The differences are minimal; the new battery capacity is 5,172mAh compared to the previous 5,220mAh, a reduction of approximately 1 percent, and the console will gain about 10g in weight. Revised Joy-Con controllers, the Switch 2 Pro Controller, and N64 and GameCube controllers will be released gradually.
Discontinued products
Not all items will continue to be available. Nintendo plans to discontinue the original Switch Pro Controller, Sega Mega Drive and SNES controllers, as well as the Pokémon Go Plus+ accessory; none will have a version with a replaceable battery. These regulations will apply across the 35 markets served by Nintendo of Europe, which includes the UK, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
A subdued conclusion, for now
Nintendo has not confirmed whether this discontinuation will extend beyond Europe. Given the rising manufacturing costs and the transition to the Switch 2, halting production of the aging hardware everywhere could be appealing. Nevertheless, the old console still has some life left, with new first-party titles like Rhythm Heaven Groove and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream on the horizon.
Initially aimed at phones, these battery regulations will now quietly bring an end to one of the best-selling consoles in gaming history in its home region.
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Nintendo has halted the sale of the original Switch in Europe.
Nintendo will cease sales of the original Switch in Europe starting February 2027 to comply with new EU regulations regarding replaceable batteries, which will also influence the design of the Switch 2.