Nintendo to Halt Switch Sales in Europe From Mid-February 2027

Nintendo is preparing to end sales of the original Switch hardware line in Europe, starting in mid-February 2027. That stop applies not just to the standard Switch, but also Switch Lite and Switch OLED models, which have been on shelves for nearly a decade.

Key takeaways

• Nintendo will stop selling Switch hardware in Europe from mid-February 2027, covering Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED.
• The decision is tied to a new European Union requirement pushing electrical products toward user-replaceable batteries.
• Replacement-battery Joy-Con will still be introduced, but Nintendo says the older Switch console models won’t be substituted with new battery-equipped versions.
• Multiple Switch-related products will also be withdrawn from Nintendo Store sales from mid-February 2027.
• Nintendo says Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED will continue manufacturing through 2026 and should remain broadly available in Europe during that year.

Switch sales end in Europe, but battery-friendly Joy-Con are coming

Nintendo made the change public alongside news that new versions of Switch 2 and its controllers will arrive in Europe next year. The company’s rationale is that upcoming products will be built to satisfy an EU rule requiring electrical goods to include user-replaceable batteries.

However, Nintendo’s plan isn’t a full Switch 1 refresh with the same battery approach. While Joy-Con hardware designed with user-replaceable batteries will be made, Nintendo says no new Switch 1 console revisions will launch to take their place—effectively meaning the older console family will be pulled from sale entirely.

In its update, Nintendo clarified that the affected items would not be replaced by versions that feature user-replaceable batteries in Europe. The company also specified that the listed products would stop being sold through the Nintendo Store starting mid-February 2027 onwards.

• Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Controller for Nintendo Switch
• Pokémon GO Plus +
• Nintendo Switch
• Nintendo Switch Lite
• Nintendo Switch – OLED Model
• Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
• SEGA Mega Drive Control Pad for Nintendo Switch
• Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) Controller for Nintendo Switch

Nintendo: Switch 1 keeps being made in 2026, but the end date is mid-February 2027

Even with the withdrawal from European sales, Nintendo provided a more precise manufacturing timeline for the Switch 1 lineup. It said that Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch – OLED Model will continue to be manufactured throughout 2026 and “should be widely available in Europe” across that whole year.

From mid-February 2027—described as nearly ten years after the Switch launched in March 2017—Nintendo says it will no longer supply retailers with hardware in the Switch family. Nintendo specifically names Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch – OLED Model as the products that will stop being sent to retailers at that point.

While this is being framed as a Europe-only adjustment, some players have raised the question of whether a similar move could happen elsewhere too. There’s no explicit note in the announcement limiting the change to a particular territory, and some fans have pointed to Nintendo’s statement that the consoles will only be manufactured in 2026 as an indicator that the production pipeline could be winding down during that year.

Nintendo was contacted for further clarification on the scope and timing details, with an update promised if more information becomes available.

What the Switch 2 era means for Switch 1 libraries and support

With Switch 2 now in the mix, Nintendo Switch 1 is moving closer to the end of its lifecycle. Switch 1 sales have fallen sharply compared to year-ago numbers, and that shift has reignited debate about whether the system can still catch up to PS2 and become the top-selling console of all time.

At the same time, Nintendo has slowed the release of new Switch 1 games substantially, with Rhythm Heaven Groove called out as a recent exception. Major releases are increasingly landing on Switch 2—this year’s Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is Switch 2 only, as was this year’s Pokémon Pokopia. Looking ahead, next year’s highly anticipated Pokémon Winds and Waves is also expected to be exclusive to Switch 2.

Even so, Nintendo is still selling Switch 1 hardware for now, and it has reassured players that Switch 1 support will continue for the foreseeable future.

In its closing note, Nintendo asked customers to check with local retailers for future availability details. The company also emphasized that Switch has a large and growing catalog, and that current Switch owners can keep playing their existing Nintendo games and using Nintendo Switch accessories. It added that Nintendo eShop, Nintendo Switch Online, and other services will continue for the foreseeable future.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social