Official New Nintendo Switch 2 Model Will Be Unavailable To Millions

Nintendo Switch 2 gamers have entered a somewhat tumultuous period lately, as Nintendo recently confirmed price increases for the Switch 2 in multiple regions. The console got a recent price bump in US markets from $449.99 to $499.99, effective later this year, with the company citing ongoing market pressures and rising component costs that are clearly being passed on to consumers.

The announcement has reignited debates that first emerged when Nintendo revealed the Switch 2’s launch pricing, with some players questioning whether the company is moving away from its traditionally affordable family-friendly cost strategy. Others argue that Nintendo is simply responding to the same economic realities affecting PlayStation and XBOX.

Unfortunately, there’s further bad news on the Switch 2 front, and according to recent reports, there’s a brand-new Switch 2 model with a highly requested feature set to release soon, but it won’t be available for millions of gamers across the globe (via Polygon).

While Nintendo has officially confirmed that a new version of the Switch 2 is in development with a replaceable battery, players outside Europe shouldn’t expect to see it on store shelves anytime soon. The upcoming model is being created specifically to comply with new European Union regulations that require portable electronic devices to feature batteries that can be easily removed and replaced by consumers.

Those rules take effect on February 18, 2027, forcing manufacturers to rethink designs that currently require specialized tools or professional repairs for battery replacements. Unlike the standard Switch 2 currently sold worldwide, the revised EU model will feature a user-replaceable battery, a feature that many gamers have hoped for since the console’s launch.

Nintendo has not detailed exactly how the hardware will be redesigned, but the company confirmed that compliant versions will receive new model numbers and carry an additional “OSM” designation on packaging to distinguish them from existing units. Importantly, it’s unlikely these batteries will be easily swappable like handhelds such as the PSP used to have, and will still require some technical knowledge to disassemble.

The reason this version is expected to remain exclusive to Europe is simple: the redesign is being driven by EU law rather than consumer demand in other territories. Neither the United States nor most non-EU markets currently require gaming handhelds to include easily replaceable batteries, which gives Nintendo little incentive to replace its existing global model.

That said, while Nintendo has not ruled out a wider launch in the future and the company has only committed to releasing the new Switch 2 model in regions affected by the EU’s battery regulations, if there’s a growing demand for this model elsewhere, that could change eventually.