Nintendo Faces Pressure to Make Switch 2 Easier to Repair

Nintendo’s Switch 2 battery problem is turning into a Europe problem

Nintendo is reportedly planning a revised Switch 2 model for Europe with a replaceable battery, a move tied to EU rules that kick in from February 18, 2027. For now, the reported plan is Europe first, with no commitment for the US or other markets.

In the company’s own Switch 2 safety documentation for Europe, it says users should not replace the console or Joy-Con 2 batteries themselves and that battery removal should be handled by a qualified professional.

The problem for Nintendo is the EU’s battery law. The European Commission says consumers will be able to remove and replace portable batteries in electronic products starting in 2027. Commission guidance published in January 2025 says Article 11 of the battery regulation applies from February 18, 2027, and covers removability and replaceability rules for portable batteries.

Why Nintendo may need a new model

The report circulating today traces back to Nikkei, and says Nintendo plans to modify the Switch 2 design for the EU market so consumers can easily swap the battery. Those reports also say Nintendo could consider similar steps in Japan or the US later if repair awareness keeps growing, but that remains unconfirmed. Nintendo has not publicly announced such a hardware revision.

That last part is important. Right now, this is still a reported plan, not an official Nintendo launch announcement.

What makes the claim believable is that the current Switch 2 already has a repairability problem. iFixit’s teardown gave the console a 3 out of 10 score and said the battery is glued in, with several major parts soldered down. If Nintendo has to meet the EU rule on schedule, a redesign was always going to be hard to avoid.

The awkward bit for Nintendo

If Nintendo does ship an EU-only version with a battery regular people can replace, it will be hard to defend keeping the tougher-to-open version elsewhere.

A region-specific fix would show Nintendo can build a more repairable Switch 2 when regulation forces the issue. It would also underline how much of today’s sealed-device design is business choice, not technical destiny.

For players, the upside is obvious:

• cheaper long-term ownership
• less hassle when battery health drops
• less e-waste
• a healthier secondhand market

For Nintendo, the risk is also obvious. An EU-only repair-friendly model could make customers in other regions ask why they are stuck with the glued-in one.

Europe is once again pushing consumer tech companies toward hardware changes they were not eager to make on their own. If this report holds up, the Switch 2 may become the next example.