With the release date and tech specs now announced for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, alongside insights into how much first-party Nintendo games cost on the new console, attention is shifting to the pricing of the system itself. Although no official prices were disclosed during the Nintendo Direct presentation, regional pricing has emerged on Nintendo's country-specific websites, revealing that the most cost-effective way to purchase the new hardware is in Japan.
This intriguing fact was playfully highlighted by Duolingo — the language learning app — in a tweet suggesting that gamers could save money by learning Japanese. In Japan, two versions of the Switch 2 are available: a multi-language model priced at 69,980 yen (approximately $477), and a Japanese-only version for 49,980 yen (around $341).
Gamers, learn Japanese to save $133! https://t.co/misNmSstIf
— Duolingo (@duolingo) April 3, 2025
Japan's unique offering of a mono-language console at a lower price means that gamers willing to play in Japanese can 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 may be influenced by U.S. President Donald Trump's recently announced international tariffs. Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games, noted, "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."
Japan's significance as a key market for Nintendo, accounting for 24% of the Nintendo Switch installed base in 2024 compared to just 2% for Xbox Series X/S and 9% for PlayStation 5, also plays a role. James McWhirter, an analyst at Omdia, explained, "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. 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."
However, even if you are fluent in Japanese, obtaining the cheaper system remains challenging. According to Nintendo's website, "The Japanese-Language System (Japan only) is designed for use in Japan only. 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." Additionally, the Japanese-only variant is exclusively available through the Japanese My Nintendo Store, effectively region-locking the console to maintain lower costs for Japanese players.
For a comprehensive understanding of why the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games are priced so high, check out our deep dive as we talk to industry experts. To stay updated on all things related to the Nintendo Switch 2, you can review everything shown at this week's Nintendo Direct right here.
