Nintendo will cease production and retail sales of the original Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED models in Europe by February 2027. The decision stems directly from new EU battery regulations requiring user-replaceable batteries in portable electronics, effective February 18, 2027. Instead of redesigning legacy hardware, the company is redirecting resources to compliant Switch 2 variants featuring removable batteries for the console, Joy-Cons, and select peripherals.

The original Switch family remains one of the highest-selling consoles in history, with strong ongoing demand in other regions where no such cutoff applies. In Europe, the timing aligns with broader memory cost pressures that have already pushed Switch 2 pricing upward, including a confirmed increase to $499.99 in the US starting September 2026. Revised EU Switch 2 models will carry distinct model numbers beginning with updates to the “BEE” series and an additional “OSM” packaging code to meet compliance.

This outcome reflects standard corporate calculus: when incremental changes exceed projected remaining shelf life, production ends. The EU regulation itself targets reduced electronic waste through easier repairs and standardized components, though its application here accelerates the retirement of affordable hardware options precisely when entry prices are climbing elsewhere.