Nintendo Preps Switch 2 With Replaceable Battery — But Only for the EU

The Switch 2 teardown discourse isn’t dying anytime soon. After iFixit called out Nintendo for gluing the battery into the launch model — a move that made “easy to disconnect” feel like a cruel joke — Nintendo is now preparing a revised Switch 2 with fully replaceable batteries. The catch? It’s only coming to the European Union.

This isn’t a design epiphany. It’s compliance.

The EU Gets a Switch 2 With Replaceable Batteries — Everyone Else Gets Glue

According to reporting from Nikkei, Nintendo is building a new Switch 2 variant that lets players replace the battery in both the main console and the Joy‑Con 2 controllers. It’s exactly the kind of consumer‑friendly move fans have been begging for.

But unless you live in the EU, you’re not getting it.

Japan keeps the glued‑in model. The U.S. keeps the glued‑in model. And Nintendo still doesn’t recommend anyone outside the EU attempt a battery replacement on their own.

This is what “right to repair” looks like when it’s driven by legislation instead of goodwill.

Why the EU Gets the Good Version

The EU passed sweeping battery regulations in 2023, requiring that portable devices allow consumers to remove and replace batteries without proprietary tools, heat, solvents, or a trip to a corporate repair dungeon. Companies have until February 2027 to comply.

Nintendo is simply getting ahead of the deadline.

And this isn’t happening in a vacuum. The EU has been tightening its “right to repair” laws for years, pushing manufacturers toward:

• longer device lifespans
• easier repairs
• less e‑waste
• more consumer choice

Member states must fold the latest directive into national law by July 31, 2026.

Nintendo sees the writing on the wall — and it’s adjusting course before regulators do it for them.

The Rest of the World Is Still Stuck With the Old Model

For now, the revised Switch 2 is EU‑only. Nintendo hasn’t said what this means for existing EU units, warranties, or whether the new design will eventually roll out globally.

Nikkei notes that Japan and the U.S. could see the change if their own consumer laws evolve. But until then, the Switch 2 you buy outside Europe will still require:

• glue removal
• specialized tools
• and a prayer

…if you want to replace a degraded battery.

Nintendo Isn’t Alone — The Industry Is Being Dragged Into Repairability