nintendo has confirmed on its consumer information website that prepares a revised version of the Switch 2 for the European market, one in which the battery can be easily replaced. It is not really a traditional revision as we might expect, but a new version born as a result of complying with European regulations that will come into force in 2027.
What is this about? The key is in the Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 on batteries, which as of February 18, 2027 requires that cells and batteries integrated in certain devices sold in the EU can be removed and replaced by the user himself easily and at any time during the product’s useful life. Portable consoles fall into that category, so the Switch 2 is fully affected.
What Nintendo says. In the official publication On its website, the company assures that it is “implementing measures to comply with these requirements by preparing versions of products that comply with the Regulation.” To differentiate those models from the current ones, Nintendo says the new ones will carry different model numbers and the additional “OSM” code visible on the packaging, identifying them as “standalone products for regulatory purposes.”
How affected models are recognized. Nintendo doesn’t mention the Switch 2 by name, instead talking about “current products whose model numbers start with ‘BEE’.” That is precisely the case of Switch 2, whose model number is BEE-001, as collects VGC. The Joy-Con 2 (BEE-012 and BEE-014) and the Switch 2 Pro controller (BEE-008) also have integrated batteries and share that same prefix, so they could also receive a review if the regulations apply to them. At the moment, Nintendo has not confirmed it.
Details yet to be confirmed. Nintendo does not explain what will change at the design level to facilitate replacement. And it will require a major change, because nowadays replacing the Switch 2 battery is no small feat. According to the repair guide from iFixit, the battery is not accessible even after removing the back cover, and requires disassembling a large part of the device and then reassembling it. The one with the Joy-Con 2 is somewhat simpler, but it’s not easy either.
Only for the EU, for now. Nintendo has not yet committed to selling these models outside of Europe, nor is it under any obligation to do so. However, as they point From Tom’s Guide, making a completely different version of hardware for a single region ends up making little economic sense. And the usual thing is that regional variants are limited to specific components, not to redesigns as important as this one. That’s why it wouldn’t be strange if, over time, the “OSM” models also end up reaching other markets, although for now it’s just a guess.
When. The only certainty is that Nintendo will have these adapted consoles in European stores before February 18, 2027. What is not clear is the exact schedule or whether the original version will coexist with the new one or will end up disappearing. Nor should we lose sight of the fact that these models will arrive, presumably, after the price increase planned for Septemberwhich places the console at 500 euros here in Europe. We will have to wait to find out more information about it.
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