Anyone who buys the Nintendo Switch 2 from autumn 2026 will get a different device than today.
Nintendo is launching a revised version of the Switch 2 this year, which will gradually replace the previous console. However, the cause is not a technical upgrade or a new feature. It is the new EU battery regulation that requires users to be able to replace the batteries in electronic consumer products such as the Nintendo console themselves. But there is a small disadvantage.
The Nintendo Switch 2’s battery is getting a little worse
From autumn 2026, Nintendo will deliver a revised Switch 2 in Europe. The included Joy-Cons also come with replaceable batteries. According to Nintendo, there should be no functional differences between current consoles and the revised variants.
Accordingly, there are hardly any technical changes. With one exception: the battery capacity decreases by about 1 percent to 5,172 mAh (previously 5,220 mAh), the weight of the naked console increases by around 10 grams to approx. 411 g. With the controllers, the entire package will weigh approx. 548 g, i.e. 14 grams more than before (source: Nintendo).
What’s next for Switch accessories?
The rollout with the classic Joy-Cons for the first Switch generation will start as early as summer 2026, although nothing should change in terms of weight and battery capacity.
The separately available Joy-Con 2 and the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller will follow in winter 2026. The change is most noticeable with the Pro Controller: the battery capacity shrinks by 16 percent to 897 mAh (previously 1,070 mAh). In return, the controller is around 7 grams lighter at around 228 g. The retro controllers will follow at the beginning of 2027.
However, consoles such as the Switch 1, Switch Lite and OLED Switch are missing from the list. The reason for this is simple: Nintendo will no longer deliver the old consoles to retailers in Europe or sell them in the Nintendo Store from mid-February 2027.