With the much-anticipated release date and tech specs now unveiled for the Nintendo Switch 2, along with insights into the pricing of first-party Nintendo games on the new console, attention naturally shifts to the cost of the system itself.
Although no official prices were disclosed during the Nintendo Direct presentation, subsequent listings on Nintendo's regional websites have revealed that the most cost-effective way to purchase the new hardware is in Japan.
As cleverly pointed out by Duolingo—the educational app renowned for teaching languages including Japanese—Japan offers two versions of the Switch 2: a multi-language edition priced at 69,980 yen (approximately $477), and a Japanese language-only model for 49,980 yen (about $341).
Gamers, learn Japanese to save $133! https://t.co/misNmSstIf
— Duolingo (@duolingo) April 3, 2025
Japan stands alone in offering a single-language console at a reduced price, enabling players willing to play in Japanese to save over $100 compared to the international version, which retails at $449.99 in the U.S.
Some experts' opinions suggest that the higher global price could be influenced by U.S. President Donald Trump's recently announced international tariffs.
"Nintendo likely considered potential tariffs, the global inflationary environment, and the precedent set by Sony's $700 price tag for the PlayStation 5 Pro last year," noted Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games.
Japan's significance as a "key market for Nintendo" also plays a role, with the country representing 24% of the Nintendo Switch installed base in 2024, compared to just 2% for Xbox Series X/S and 9% for PlayStation 5.
"Aligning the Japanese Yen price with the U.S. Dollar would severely undermine Nintendo's market position in Japan, effectively doubling the cost compared to the classic LCD Nintendo Switch model," explained James McWhirter, analyst at Omdia. "However, maintaining significantly lower prices in USD terms could lead to grey market imports into other regions."
Even for those fluent in Japanese, acquiring the cheaper system remains challenging. "The Japanese-Language System (Japan only) is designed for use in Japan only," states Nintendo's website. "Only Japanese is available as the system language, and only Nintendo accounts with the country/region set to Japan can be linked to this system."
These restrictions, along with the Japanese-only variant being exclusively available through the Japanese My Nintendo Store, effectively region-lock the console, ensuring lower prices for Japanese consumers.
To gain a deeper understanding of why the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games are priced as they are, check out our in-depth analysis featuring insights from industry experts.
For more on the Nintendo Switch 2, you can review everything showcased at this week's Nintendo Direct right here.
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