When you’ve been ready to purchase your self a Nintendo Change or Steam Deck, you might wish to wait just a little longer. The subsequent era of handheld gaming consoles might all include batteries which you can change your self, due to a new regulation within the European Union.
The rule, adopted by the European Council on July 10, as reported earlier by Eurogamer, is designed to enhance sustainability and cut back battery waste.
“Batteries are key to the decarbonisation course of,” Teresa Ribera, Spanish minister for the ecological transition, mentioned in a press release. “Finish-of-life batteries comprise many invaluable sources, and we should be capable to reuse these crucial uncooked supplies.”
The regulation “will apply to all batteries together with all waste moveable batteries, electrical automobile batteries, industrial batteries, beginning, lightning and ignition (SLI) batteries (used largely for autos and equipment) and batteries for gentle technique of transport (e.g. electrical bikes, e-mopeds, e-scooters),” the European Council mentioned final week.
This could additionally embrace moveable handheld gaming consoles, like these from Nintendo and Valve.
What does the regulation require?
The brand new rule means you’d be capable to take away and change your individual gaming console battery by 2027 within the EU. Transportable batteries should be “readily detachable and replaceable by the end-user at any time through the lifetime of the product.”
Corporations may also be required to offer info on the carbon footprint of their batteries, together with the battery’s parts and recycled content material, a QR code with extra data and a “battery passport.” Labeling necessities will kick in throughout 2026, and QR code necessities by 2027.
Whereas this new regulation will solely apply within the EU, it might end in console makers making certain replaceable batteries worldwide moderately than making a separate system for the European market. Nintendo and Valve did not reply to a request for remark.
The EU’s crackdown on e-waste has additionally seen it make the USB-C charging cable customary throughout all gadgets from 2024. Apple should swap the iPhone from its proprietary Lightning cable to USB-C to conform.
