Logitech is set to introduce gaming mice with user-replaceable lithium-ion batteries, though the products will only be sold in Europe. Robin Piispanen, the company’s newly appointed head of gaming, confirmed the plan in an interview with The Verge, as Logitech prepares for upcoming European Union rules requiring more consumer devices to use replaceable batteries.
According to Piispanen, making the mice comply with the EU rules isn’t as simple as swapping the battery. The new designs will be heavier, more expensive to build, and reinforced to help prevent accidental battery damage that could cause a fire. He also pointed out that most people buying a $50 to $100 gaming mouse are more likely to upgrade to a new one than replace its battery, unlike with laptops or phones.
Piispanen said he supports the right-to-repair movement in principle, but believes the bigger priority is designing products that last longer. He also argued that users attempting to replace parts such as switches or grips are more likely to cause permanent damage, while declining to say whether Logitech plans to make replacement components more available to independent repair shops.
Logitech is not alone in taking a region-specific approach. Nintendo has also confirmed that Europe will receive a version of the Switch 2 with user-replaceable batteries in both the console and its Joy-Con controllers. Instead of redesigning the original Switch to comply with the upcoming EU rules, the company plans to end sales of its 2017 handheld in the region.
Beginning in February 2027, the EU’s battery regulation will require more devices to feature replaceable batteries to help reduce electronic waste. Some manufacturers are already updating their products in anticipation of the rules, but those changes are generally being introduced only in regions covered by the regulation.
Piispanen also talked about Logitech’s experiment with handheld gaming. The company launched the cloud-based G Cloud in 2022, but he said only around one in five owners still uses it today. That’s one reason Logitech isn’t rushing to build another model, especially with cloud gaming still being a tough market dominated by giants like Microsoft and Nvidia.
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