New Nintendo Switch 2 Announced for Europe This Fall: Will Be Slightly Heavier, But With User-Replaceable Batteries

Nintendo's caller Switch 2 exemplary for Europe volition rotation retired this fall, with user-replaceable batteries that marque the console somewhat heavier.

As antecedently reported by Japanese paper Nikkei, Nintendo volition soon marque changes to its Switch 2 hardware and assorted accessories successful beforehand of caller European Union authorities that requires users to beryllium capable to regenerate batteries successful electrical equipment.

The thought is that instrumentality tin beryllium serviced much easily, and volition past longer without requiring users to repurchase a full caller controller, for example, oregon nonstop it backmost to Nintendo for a fix. Switch 1 Joy-Con volition person a caller exemplary first, starting from this summer, with nary alteration to artillery capableness and weight.

But Switch 2 models sold from this autumn onwards volition person a somewhat smaller (by 1%) caller replaceable artillery successful the console and attached Joy-Con 2 controllers. This volition spot the console's value summation from 534 grams to 548 grams with controllers attached (or from 401g to 411g without controllers attached.

Switch 2 Joy-Con sold individually from this wintertime onwards volition besides person replaceable batteries, arsenic volition caller Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controllers (which volition spot their artillery size shrink by 16%, though extremity up 7g lighter).

Lastly, retro console controllers disposable from aboriginal 2027 onwards volition besides beryllium altered, with the Switch's N64 controller 1g heavier, and the Switch 2's GameCube controller 5g heavier.

Intriguingly, Nintendo has decided not to merchandise a caller mentation of the Switch 1 successful Europe — and volition alternatively simply retreat the aging hardware from merchantability wrong the region.

Battery replacement kits for each merchandise volition beryllium disposable to acquisition from Nintendo Store successful Europe successful the future, the institution said successful a blog post.

"Starting summertime 2026, successful mentation for upcoming changes successful European artillery regulations coming into effect successful mid-February 2027, selected Nintendo products successful Europe volition statesman to beryllium replaced connected a rolling ground by revisions that incorporate a user-replaceable battery," Nintendo said. "There is nary quality successful functionality betwixt existent products and revised products containing user-replaceable batteries.

"The archetypal revised products are expected to go disposable from summertime 2026, with further products becoming disposable successful autumn, winter, and aboriginal 2027. Due to a assortment of factors, revised products whitethorn not go disposable successful each European countries simultaneously."

Nintendo already sells a circumstantial Japanese language-only mentation of Switch 2 successful its homeland, which is priced cheaper successful examination to the console's outgo overseas. However, portion the console is region-locked to lone play Japanese games and entree the Japanese mentation of the eShop, determination console is different identical successful presumption of its signifier factor.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social