Nintendo is planning to discontinue the original Nintendo Switch games console in Europe next year – which will mark a decade in service for one of the all-time great games consoles.
The company says as of mid-February 2027, all versions of the OG Nintendo Switch – including the Switch Lite and Switch OLED – will cease to be available for sale, in Europe at least.
The decision is being made to coincide with the launch of a new Switch 2 console with a more easily user-replaceable battery to coincide with incoming consumer tech regulations in the European Union. As well as the Switch itself, a revised range of accessories like the Joy-Cons and N64 controller will also be relaunched with the easy user-replaceable batteries.
Nintendo says the roll out of these projects will be gradual and the original hardware will be phased out over time. In a new FAQ on its support site, Nintendo said: “Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch – OLED Model will all continue to be manufactured in 2026, and should be widely available in Europe all year.
“From mid-February 2027, almost ten years after Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017, Nintendo will no longer sell to retailers hardware in the Nintendo Switch family of systems — specifically Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch – OLED Model. Sales of Nintendo Switch hardware on Nintendo Store will also end in mid-February 2027.”
It appears as if Nintendo will still manufacture the original Switch model for sales in the other countries. This might have been in the post anyway around the world, given the Switch 2 will complete a decade of service next year. It certainly wouldn’t make sense for Nintendo to launch revised Switch hardware at this stage in its lifecycle.
While the regulation is designed to be consumer-friendly, it doesn’t feel this way right now. Effectively, what it is doing is denying people the opportunity to buy a much cheaper console with a vast library of incredible games to delve into. The Switch Lite for example, is often available for well under €200 on the continent. The Switch 2 costs €499.99 after the recent price hike. Prices are tipped to go up further in the future, so the loss of this far cheaper option for less well-off people will be felt. Might be an idea to get one while you cam.
The EU means well, but its meddling in tech affairs often carries adverse effects. Many iPhone users, for example, aren’t fans of the interoperability rules that have forced Apple to open up the watertight iOS ecosystem. The forced obsolescence of the Lightning charging standard meant many accessories were left behind too.
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