Nintendo is preparing a new Nintendo Switch 2 variant for Europe, and the biggest difference is not a bigger screen or faster hardware. The model is designed around a battery that can be removed and replaced more easily, in line with the European Union’s right-to-repair rules.
The change gives the console a different direction from a typical refresh. Rather than adding headline-grabbing performance upgrades, Nintendo appears to be shaping the device to comply with regulation, with the Europe-focused version likely sold separately from the regular model.
A new code points to Switch 2
Nintendo has confirmed that it is preparing a new Switch version with model numbers starting with “BEE”. That code has been traced to Switch 2 hardware, including games and accessories for the next-generation console.
The company did not directly name Switch 2 when it announced the code. Even so, the “BEE” designation, along with a different model number and “OSM” markings on the box, makes the intended product direction fairly clear.
Europe’s repair rules are driving the redesign
The European Union’s right-to-repair rules require electronic devices with batteries to be easier for users to remove and replace. The requirement is scheduled to take effect on 18 February 2027.
That timeline is why the new Switch 2 model is expected to exist in the first place. Many observers believe the easier-to-replace battery version will be aimed mainly at Europe and may not roll out broadly across other markets.
No sign of a similar update for the first Switch
Nintendo did not mention the “HAC” code, which has long been used for the original Switch family. That omission suggests the company is not planning a similar battery-rule update for the older console.
The move makes sense in context, as Nintendo is now focused on Switch 2, which launched in 2025. Compared with the first model, the newer console brings a larger display, more internal storage, and better performance.
Pricing pressure is still part of the story
Nintendo has not said when the Europe-specific Switch 2 model will go on sale, and pricing has not been disclosed either. The market is already paying attention because Nintendo raised the Switch 2 price in the European Union in May, from 470 euro to 500 euro, citing memory costs and changing market conditions.
In the United States, Nintendo has also set the Switch 2 price at USD 500, or around Rp 8,7 juta. The company linked the USD 50 increase to higher memory component costs and U.S. import tariff pressure that added to production burdens.
Strong sales keep Nintendo confident
Despite the higher prices, Switch 2 sales remain strong. By the first quarter of 2026, Nintendo had shipped 2,49 million Switch 2 units and sold 19,86 million consoles across the last three quarters of the fiscal year.
For the next fiscal year, however, Nintendo is taking a more cautious stance with a forecast of 16,5 million units. That is below analyst expectations, which had been above 20 million units, but management said the target still reflects solid adoption in Switch 2’s second year.
That more careful outlook is also seen as an effort to avoid overpromising after Nintendo previously missed its own sales estimates. Even so, the company’s software business continues to grow alongside hardware demand.
Software momentum is still expanding
Combined game sales for Switch and Switch 2 reached 185,62 million units, up from 155,41 million in fiscal 2025. Several titles helped drive that result, led by Mario Kart World at 14,7 million units.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A followed with 8,5 million units, while Donkey Kong Bananza reached 4,5 million units. Nintendo’s momentum has even extended beyond gaming, with the Super Mario Galaxy film reportedly earning more than USD 800 million in its first four weeks of release.
