With the eagerly awaited release date and tech specs of the Nintendo Switch 2 finally unveiled, alongside insights into how much first-party Nintendo games cost on the new console, attention is now shifting towards the cost of the system itself. Although no prices were announced during the Nintendo Direct presentation, regional pricing details have emerged on Nintendo's country-specific websites, revealing that the most economical way to purchase Nintendo's latest hardware is in Japan.
A witty tweet from Duolingo — the educational app known for teaching languages, including Japanese — brought attention to the fact that Japan is offering two versions of the Switch 2: a multi-language version priced at 69,980 yen (approximately $477), and a Japanese language-only edition at 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 monolingual console at a lower price, which means players willing to use a Japanese-language system can save over $100 compared to the multi-language version, which is priced at $449.99 in the U.S.
According to experts' opinions, the higher international pricing might be influenced by U.S. President Donald Trump's recently announced international tariffs. "Nintendo likely considered potential tariffs, the global inflationary environment, and the $700 Sony charged for the PlayStation 5 Pro last year," noted Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games.
Additionally, Japan's significance to Nintendo cannot be overstated, with the country representing a quarter (24%) of the Nintendo Switch installed base in 2024, far outpacing the 2% for Xbox Series X/S and 9% for PlayStation 5. "If the Switch 2's price in Japanese Yen matched the U.S. Dollar price, it would severely undermine Nintendo's position in Japan, effectively doubling the cost over the original LCD Nintendo Switch model," explained James McWhirter, an analyst at Omdia. "However, maintaining significantly lower pricing in Japan could lead to issues with grey imports to other regions."
Even if you are fluent in Japanese, there are still hurdles to obtaining the more affordable system. "The Japanese-Language System (Japan only) is designed for use in Japan only," clarifies 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."
With these restrictions in place, and the fact that the Japanese-only variant is exclusively available through the Japanese My Nintendo Store, Nintendo is effectively region-locking the console to maintain lower costs for Japanese consumers.
For a deeper understanding of why the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games come with a hefty price tag, check out our comprehensive analysis as we consult industry experts.
To stay updated on the Nintendo Switch 2, you can review everything showcased at this week's Nintendo Direct right here.
