With the release date and tech specs of the eagerly awaited Nintendo Switch 2 now revealed, along with insights into how much first-party Nintendo games cost on the new console, attention is shifting towards the price of the system itself. Although no prices were officially announced during the Nintendo Direct presentation, regional pricing details have surfaced on Nintendo's country-specific websites, shedding light on the most cost-effective way to acquire Nintendo's latest hardware: by being in Japan.
In a playful X post (tweet) from Duolingo—the language learning app that includes Japanese among its offerings—it was pointed out that Japan offers two versions of the Switch 2. The multi-language model is priced at 69,980 yen (approximately $477), while the Japanese language-only edition is available for 49,980 yen (about $341).
Gamers, learn Japanese to save $133! https://t.co/misNmSstIf
— Duolingo (@duolingo) April 3, 2025
Japan is the only country offering a mono-language console at a reduced price, enabling gamers willing to play in Japanese to save over $100 compared to the international version, which is priced at $449.99 in the U.S.
According to experts' opinions, the higher international price might be influenced by recent international tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump. "Nintendo probably factored in possible tariffs, the current inflationary climate in the world, and the $700 Sony dared to charge for the PlayStation 5 Pro last year," explained Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games.
Japan's significance as a key market for Nintendo, where it holds a 24% share of the Nintendo Switch installed base in 2024—compared to just 2% for Xbox Series X/S and 9% for PlayStation 5—could also be a factor. "If Switch 2 pricing in Japanese Yen was aligned with the U.S. Dollar price, it would dramatically weaken Nintendo's position in Japan, representing a doubling in the list price over the classic LCD Nintendo Switch model," stated James McWhirter, an analyst at Omdia. He added, "Yet if Nintendo continued to rely on region-specific pricing that is significantly cheaper in USD terms, they would face an issue with grey imports to other territories."
Even for those fluent in Japanese, acquiring the more affordable system presents its challenges. "The Japanese-Language System (Japan only) is designed for use in Japan only," according to 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 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 prices for Japanese consumers.
For a deeper understanding of the pricing strategy behind the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games, check out our deep dive as we talk to industry experts.
To stay updated on everything related to the Nintendo Switch 2, you can review everything shown at this week's Nintendo Direct right here.
