Now that we have the much-awaited release date and tech specs for the Nintendo Switch 2, along with the cost of first-party Nintendo games on the new console, the focus shifts to the price of the system itself. While no prices were confirmed during the Nintendo Direct presentation, regional pricing details have emerged on Nintendo's country-specific websites, revealing that the most cost-effective way to own the new hardware is in Japan.
A witty tweet from Duolingo, the language learning app, pointed out that Japan offers two versions of the Switch 2: a multi-language edition priced at 69,980 yen (around $477), and a Japanese language-only version at 49,980 yen (about $341).
Gamers, learn Japanese to save $133! https://t.co/misNmSstIf
— Duolingo (@duolingo) April 3, 2025
Since Japan is the only country offering a mono-language console at a lower price, players willing to game in Japanese can save over $100 compared to the international version, which is priced at $449.99 in the U.S.
In the view of some experts, the higher international price could be influenced by the recently announced international tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump.
"Nintendo probably factored in possible tariffs, the current inflationary climate in the world, and the $700 Sony charged for the PlayStation 5 Pro last year," said Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games.
Another factor may be Japan's status as "a key market for Nintendo," where the country represented 24% of the Nintendo Switch installed base in 2024, compared to just 2% for Xbox Series X/S and 9% for PlayStation 5.
"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," explained James McWhirter, analyst at Omdia. "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, there are still barriers to obtaining the cheaper system. "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."
With these restrictions, and the fact that the Japanese-only variant is exclusively available from the Japanese My Nintendo Store, Nintendo is effectively region-locking the console to maintain lower prices for Japanese players.
For more insights on the pricing of the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games, check out our in-depth analysis with industry experts.
To stay updated on the Nintendo Switch 2, you can review everything presented at this week's Nintendo Direct right here.
