With the release date and technical specifications of the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch successor now confirmed — along with an indication of first-party Nintendo game pricing — attention has shifted to the console's cost.
Although the Nintendo Direct presentation did not reveal official prices, regional pricing details have since appeared on Nintendo's country-specific websites, revealing that the most affordable way to purchase the new hardware is in Japan.
As playfully noted in a Duolingo tweet — the language-learning app that offers Japanese among its courses — two versions of the Switch console are available in Japan: a multilingual edition priced at 69,980 yen (roughly $477), and a Japanese-only version for 49,980 yen (approximately $341).
Gamers, learn Japanese to save $133! https://t.co/misNmSstIf
— Duolingo (@duolingo) April 3, 2025
Since Japan is the only country offering a language-restricted console at a lower price, players willing to use Japanese can save over $100 compared to the global model, which retails for $449.99 in the United States.
According to some industry analysts, the higher international pricing could be a reflection of recently announced tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games, commented, "Nintendo likely considered potential tariffs, the current global inflationary environment, and Sony's $700 PlayStation 5 Pro launch last year when setting prices."
Another factor is Japan's status as "a crucial market for Nintendo," where the company held 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.
James McWhirter, an analyst at Omdia, explained, “Aligning the Japanese Yen price with the U.S. Dollar equivalent would have doubled the listed price compared to the original LCD Nintendo Switch, undermining Nintendo’s position in Japan. Alternatively, maintaining significantly lower regional pricing would have encouraged gray market imports."
That said, even for those fluent in Japanese, obtaining the cheaper system comes with restrictions.
Nintendo's website states: “The Japanese-Language System (Japan only) is intended for use exclusively within Japan. Only Japanese is available as the system language, and only Nintendo accounts registered to Japan can be linked."
By limiting sales to the Japanese My Nintendo Store and enforcing these regional restrictions, Nintendo is effectively locking the console to Japan — ensuring local players benefit from the lower price.
To better understand why the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games carry such high price tags, read our in-depth discussion with industry experts.
For more Nintendo Switch 2 coverage, catch up on everything revealed during this week’s Nintendo Direct here.
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