Nintendo has confirmed it will produce a more repairable Switch 2 console as a result of EU regulation and a February 2027 compliance deadline. However, whether the updated model will launch outside the EU remains unclear.
EU regulation is pushing Nintendo toward a more repairable Switch 2, with the company confirming it will produce versions of the console carrying user-replaceable batteries ahead of a February 2027 compliance deadline.
The repairable Switch 2 will carry user-replaceable batteries, due to a requirement that stems from Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 which states that batteries in certain consumer appliances be easily replaceable by end users. Nintendo has confirmed that new hardware variants will carry unique model numbers alongside the additional code “OSM” on packaging to distinguish them from the current range.
Current Switch 2 units fall under model numbers beginning with “BEE,” a prefix that covers the Switch 2 console itself, the left and right Joy-Con 2 controllers and straps, plus the docking station, though Nintendo has not clarified whether the user-replaceable battery requirement will extend to the Joy-Con 2 controllers or apply solely to the main console.
Replacing the battery on the existing Switch 2 involves a multi-step disassembly process that most consumers would not attempt without technical confidence, which means it would likely require a service centre repair rather than a straightforward user intervention of the kind the EU regulation envisions.
Nintendo Switch 2. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
Nintendo has a history of releasing revised hardware mid-generation, with the original Switch receiving a refreshed model in 2019 that improved battery life without changing the external design, suggesting the company has the production infrastructure to introduce a running change of this kind without a full hardware revision.
Nintendo has not detailed the specific hardware changes it will make to achieve compliance, leaving open the question of whether the redesign will involve a panel, a compartment door, or some other accessible mechanism that brings the Switch 2 into line with the spirit of the regulation.
Whether Nintendo extends the replaceable battery design beyond the EU remains unconfirmed, with the company yet to indicate whether markets including the UK, the United States, and others will receive the updated hardware or continue with the existing construction after February 2027.
The post The Switch 2 is getting a more repair-friendly battery – but not for everyone appeared first on Trusted Reviews.