EU Says Handheld Consoles Must Have Replaceable Batteries Starting 2027

The next iterations of the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck could come with replaceable batteries thanks to a new EU regulation.

As reported by Eurogamer, the Council of the European Union has unveiled a new regulation that forces all devices, including handheld games consoles, to come with replaceable batteries by 2027.

Nintendo’s current console, similar to the Steam Deck and other already available devices, likely won’t be affected, but the regulation could affect development of next-generation systems like the Switch successor. While companies could push back against the regulation, the EU said the 2027 timeframe gives “sufficient time for operators to adapt the design of their products to this requirement”.

It also shared a brief outline of what this could look like for video game players: “A portable battery shall be considered readily removable by the end-user where it can be removed from a product with the use of commercially available tools, without requiring the use of specialised tools, unless provided free of charge with the product.”

The change comes as a part of the EU’s shift towards sustainability. “Batteries are key to the decarbonisation process and the EU’s shift towards zero-emission modes of transport,” said Spanish minister for the ecological transition Teresa Ribera.

“At the same time end-of-life batteries contain many valuable resources and we must be able to reuse those critical raw materials instead of relying on third countries for supplies.”

It’s unclear when Nintendo will release its next console or if these regulation changes will affect that timeline, but the Switch successor isn’t happening for another year at least.

The Steam Deck is much more recent release, however, meaning Valve likely isn’t as close to unveiling its next handheld (if at all). Several other companies are entering the handheld market too, including Sony which is developing a PlayStation 5 streaming device called Project Q.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.