An EU regulation taking effect in 2027 requires portable game consoles to support user-replaceable batteries, and Nintendo is already preparing a compliant version of the Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch 2
Unsplash
Nintendo plans to release a modified Switch 2 in Europe that will let you swap out the battery without sending the console in for service. The move is a direct response to a new EU regulation set to take effect in February 2027, which requires portable electronics, including game consoles, to support user-replaceable batteries.
Why this is a bigger deal than it sounds
Replacing the battery in a standard Switch 2 today is not a simple task. It requires partial disassembly, which isn’t ideal for the average user. The EU rule is designed to change that, pushing manufacturers toward designs where an average user can pull out and replace a dead battery without tools or a trip to the repair shop.
Nintendo is one of the first major console makers to publicly acknowledge it is preparing a compliant product, but the company has yet to share specifics.
What Nintendo has and hasn’t said
A Nikkei report in March first revealed that Nintendo was working on a replaceable-battery revision for the EU, and also indicated that the Joy-Con controllers would receive the same treatment. Nintendo has now confirmed on its website (via The Verge) that it is working on compliant versions of its current hardware. Future EU units will carry new model numbers and an “OSM” code on the packaging to distinguish them from standard consoles, which currently use model numbers beginning with “BEE,” as seen in Nintendo’s FCC filings.
The company did not describe what the physical changes will look like and stopped short of confirming the Joy-Con revision Nikkei reported. There’s also no word on whether units with replaceable batteries will be sold outside the EU.
Nintendo is not the only device maker facing this deadline. The February 2027 regulation covers a broad range of consumer electronics, from tablets to wireless earbuds, and other manufacturers will need to comply or qualify for an exemption. For buyers, the practical upside is straightforward: a console battery that you can replace yourself, on your own timeline, without a service appointment.
Pranob is a seasoned tech journalist with over eight years of experience covering consumer technology. His work has been…
Corsair fitted the Elgato Stream Deck’s soul into a hotkey on its Nightsword v2 mouse
Stream Deck macros, Discord controls, and app shortcuts move to the mouse
Corsair has launched the Nightsword v2 Wireless SD Stream Deck gaming mouse, a right-handed wireless mouse with a dedicated Stream Deck launch button, at Computex 2026.
The Stream Deck support is an in-house integration rather than a third-party collaboration, since Corsair owns Elgato. It brings Elgato’s shortcut system directly to the mouse, letting gamers, streamers, and creators trigger app, gaming, and workflow controls without reaching for a separate desktop panel.
Nvidia confirms more RTX Spark processors are coming with N2X and N3 series lined up
Huang confirming a multi-generation roadmap before the first device has even shipped is the clearest signal yet that this is a decade-long commitment.
The PC and laptop industry has run on Intel and AMD silicon so long that most people don’t even question whether these are the only options.
Nvidia just answered that question at Computex 2026, in the form of the RTX Spark superchip, and Jensen Huang’s comments about what comes next suggest that it wasn’t a one-time experiment.
Marvel’s Wolverine shows off fittingly gory gameplay as it eyes September 15 release
Logan’s claws do the talking in Marvel’s Wolverine’s brutal new gameplay trailer
Insomniac Games used Sony’s latest State of Play to show an extended gameplay trailer for its PS5 exclusive, and the footage makes it pretty clear that this is a Wolverine game built around blood, rage, and close-range brutality.
The trailer shows Logan slicing through Reavers with claw attacks, stealth kills, airborne ambushes, and execution-style finishers that leave the screen covered in blood. The combat appears fast and aggressive, with Logan able to parry, close gaps, and tear through enemies using Techniques such as Tornado Spin and Bull Rush.
Leave a Reply