Nintendo Switch release date, news: The Switch may have a non-removable battery

Gamers have been hearing good and bad things about the Nintendo Switch for months now, but a new revelation may be a little worrisome. Engadget has reported that a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing has revealed that the Switch might have a non-removable battery.

For a handheld game console, this isn't really surprising. However, it should be noted that when people started complaining about the Wii U gamepad's battery life, Nintendo released a high-capacity battery that can last for eight hours. If the Wii U gamepad had a non-removable battery, the company would have been in a lot of trouble.

Now, what happens if the Switch's battery suddenly fails? Do people have to send the console back to Nintendo for repairs? It would have been more convenient if gamers could just change the batteries themselves.

Well, there's still a chance that Nintendo may include a removable battery for the Switch when it hits the market because the device reviewed by the FCC was just a prototype. However, Jasmine Henry of Game Rant has pointed out that the FCC filing also indicates that this is the version of the Switch that may be mass-produced.

"With the upcoming Nintendo Switch event in January set to allow attendees to go hands-on with the console, it also seems unlikely that Nintendo would suddenly change the available model for one that does have a removable battery after all," Henry stated.

Henry also noted that there's still a chance that Nintendo may release an add-on battery pack, however, she admitted that there's no evidence that these are being developed.

While it's possible that Nintendo may make changes in the final product, Sean Buckley of Engadget also believes that this may be the version of the Switch that hits the market.

"The Switch's tablet-like design doesn't leave a lot of room for user serviceability — and it probably doesn't have the extra room to accommodate a larger battery than it ships with," he explained.

The Switch is scheduled to come out in March 2017.