EU rules are forcing Nintendo to redesign the Switch 2 just one year after launch, with a user-replaceable battery arriving in Europe by February 2027. The change comes from Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, the bloc's Batteries Regulation, which enters full force on February 18, 2027. Article 11 requires batteries in certain appliances sold in the EU to be "easily replaceable by end-users at any time during the lifetime of the product." Nintendo confirmed this week that it is "implementing measures to comply with these requirements" on its official European website.
Current Switch 2 owners know the problem. iFixit's teardown of the launch console requires 63 steps to access the battery, demands dedicated tools and thermal putty, and earns only a "moderate" difficulty rating. The new EU-compliant model eliminates that entirely. Users will be able to swap the battery themselves.
Nintendo's European website now lists "future compliant versions" with "unique model numbers" and an additional "OSM" code on the packaging, designating them as separate products for regulatory purposes. The code had been spotted earlier this year, sparking speculation about a new hardware revision, and the redesigned console applies to both the system and Joy-Con controllers. There likely won't be any visible difference in performance or appearance; only the model number and OSM code on the box will distinguish the EU version from standard units sold elsewhere.
Japan and the US will continue receiving the current non-compliant Switch 2, Nikkei reported from March, noting that similar policies could eventually reach those markets "if consumer awareness of the right to repair increases."
Nintendo has done this before, quietly releasing a revised Switch 1 in 2019 with improved battery life and a patched security hole that looked identical to the original. The timing is tight: the Switch 2 launched on June 5, 2025, meaning Nintendo is preparing a hardware revision less than two years into its lifecycle, driven entirely by regulation rather than market demand. The company also announced price increases taking effect this September across the West, with the European version jumping from EUR 469.99 to EUR 499.99.
