Nintendo Switch 2 With Removable Battery in Production, Report Reveals — But Only for Europe

Nintendo is processing an updated Switch 2 exemplary with a removable battery, according to a caller report.

The revised Switch 2 console volition besides travel with caller versions of its Joy-Con 2 controllers, which let users to region and regenerate each of their lithium-ion batteries.

According to Japanese paper Nikkei, this caller Nintendo Switch 2 exemplary volition debut archetypal successful Europe, successful accordance with the European Union's "right to repair" authorities that requires electronics let for casual artillery replacement.

The regularisation was primitively introduced by the EU backmost successful 2023, though companies person had until February 2027 to hole for the changes. The thought down it is to springiness consumers the quality to support their devices going longer — with the quality to regenerate aged oregon degraded batteries alternatively than having to fork retired for an all-new merchandise oregon premium repair.

As Nikkei notes, Nintendo is simply the latest institution to align its products with the legislation, aft PlayStation updated its DualSense PS5 controllers past twelvemonth to let easier entree to their batteries, portion Apple has modified the plan of its newer iPhones to marque artillery replacement much straightforward.

For now, it's expected that this updated Switch 2 exemplary volition lone beryllium disposable successful Europe — though Nintendo is reportedly keeping its options unfastened should different countries advancement their own, akin regulations successful future.

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.

Last month, the institution admitted that Switch 2 hardware income extracurricular Japan had been weaker than expected towards the extremity of 2025. Speaking to shareholders, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged that "overseas income were somewhat weaker than our expectations," thing that had antecedently been reported and discussed with IGN by analysts, though not stated retired large by the institution itself.

It's been a engaged clip for Nintendo, which has besides precocious sued the U.S. authorities implicit "unlawful" tariffs, demanding a refund with interest. (The ineligible enactment has since been paused portion the Supreme Court passes judgement connected a akin case.) Finally, earlier this week, Nintendo released its latest Switch 2 strategy bundle update, which included a large show enhancing addition: the quality to play astir Switch 1 games with boosted show portion utilizing the console arsenic a handheld, with show akin to playing with the console docked.

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