Nintendo Reassures Global Switch 1 Sales After European Stock Halt Decision

Nintendo says it will keep selling the original Switch after it previously announced a halt to sales in Europe. The update follows yesterday’s decision to stop new stock moving through Europe, while other regions are still expected to have access to Switch 1.

Starting this fall, Nintendo plans to bring out new Switch 2 versions and its different controller options in Europe, and those units will use user-replaceable batteries. Nintendo also says it won’t be rolling the same kind of hardware refresh for the older Switch 1—meaning the company will instead take Switch 1 off sale in Europe in mid-February next year.

Nintendo’s earlier wording also sparked speculation that the company could be setting up a broader global retirement for Switch 1, potentially targeting spring 2027 rather than just ending things in Europe. The timing would line up with Switch 1 reaching a decade on the market, while Switch 2 would be nearing its second-year milestone.

Quick facts

• Nintendo confirmed it will continue selling Switch 1 in regions outside Nintendo of Europe.
• Europe will see new Switch 2 hardware and controllers from this fall onward.
• Those European Switch 2 releases will include user-replaceable batteries to meet EU requirements.
• Nintendo will not update Switch 1 hardware for EU compliance; it will be removed from sale in Europe in mid-February next year.
• Nintendo of Europe says Switch 1 models will continue manufacturing through 2026 and be widely available in Europe all year.

What Nintendo says about other regions

In a new statement sent out this morning, Nintendo clarified that its plan is to keep Switch 1 sales going outside the Nintendo of Europe territory. That includes places like North America and Nintendo’s home market in Japan.

In Nintendo’s words: “We plan to continue selling Nintendo Switch in regions outside of Nintendo of Europe.”

Yesterday’s Europe-specific messaging suggested customers wouldn’t run into issues buying Switch 1 throughout 2026, as long as they still wanted the system before it disappears from retail. Even after Switch 2 launches, the platform is still getting new releases, with this month’s Rhythm Heaven Groove cited as an example.

Nintendo of Europe also positioned Switch 1 as a cheaper entry point for console players compared with the newer system that succeeds it. That price gap is part of why Nintendo expects Switch 1 to remain relevant in the region until the planned cutoff.

Nintendo of Europe’s statement yesterday 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.” It then added that “from mid-February 2027, almost 10 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.”

So while Europe is preparing to lose Switch 1 stock on a schedule, Nintendo is effectively telling players in other territories that the original console won’t be going away at the same time. In other words: Europe’s Switch 1 exit doesn’t automatically translate to North America or Japan.

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