Nintendo is reportedly planning to introduce a new version of its Switch 2 console in the European Union that will feature user-replaceable batteries, according to a report by Nikkei. This move comes as a response to upcoming EU regulations set to take effect in February 2027, mandating that portable devices must allow users to easily change their batteries. Currently, the Switch 2’s battery is glued in, but the revision will enable users to swap it out themselves.

As per Nikkei, this updated model of the Switch 2, which includes both the console and Joy-Cons with replaceable batteries, is expected to be launched “soon.” However, in Japan, the console’s specifications will remain unchanged. Nintendo has yet to respond to a request for comment from The Verge regarding these developments.

If this updated Switch 2 becomes exclusive to the EU, it wouldn’t be unprecedented. For instance, FujiFilm’s Instax Mini Link 3 camera features a user-replaceable NP-70S battery, but only for European customers. Such regional adaptations have been seen before in response to local regulations.

There’s hope among consumers that Nintendo might extend this revision beyond Europe. In recent years, driven partly by right-to-repair legislation, smartphone manufacturers have increasingly offered more repair-friendly devices. Given that console lifespans now stretch nearly a decade, it would be advantageous for Nintendo and other gaming hardware companies to provide products that are easier to maintain and less costly to repair or replace over time.