Nintendo Unveils Budget-Friendly Japanese-Only Switch 2; Duolingo Reacts

Now that we have the eagerly awaited release date and tech specs for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, as well as insights into the cost of first-party Nintendo games on the new console, the focus shifts to the price of the system itself. Although no prices were officially confirmed during the Nintendo Direct presentation, regional pricing has appeared on Nintendo's country-specific websites, revealing that the most cost-effective way to get your hands on Nintendo's latest hardware is in Japan.

A playful 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 (approximately $477), and a Japanese-only model for 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 this mono-language console at a reduced price, players willing to game in Japanese can save over $100 compared to the international version, which retails at $449.99 in the U.S.

According to experts' opinions, the higher international price could be influenced by U.S. President Donald Trump's recently announced international tariffs.

"Nintendo probably factored in possible tariffs, the current inflationary climate worldwide, and the $700 Sony charged for the PlayStation 5 Pro last year," stated Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games.

Another reason might be that Japan is "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.

"If Switch 2 pricing in Japanese Yen was aligned with the U.S. Dollar price, it would significantly undermine Nintendo's position in Japan, essentially doubling the list price over the classic LCD Nintendo Switch model," explained James McWhirter, analyst at Omdia. "However, maintaining significantly cheaper pricing in USD terms could lead to issues with grey imports to other regions."

Even if you're fluent in Japanese, there are still hurdles to obtaining the less expensive system.

"The Japanese-Language System (Japan only) is designed for use in Japan only," Nintendo's website clarifies. "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, along with 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 consumers.

For a deeper understanding of why the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games are priced as they are, check out our deep dive as we talk to industry experts.

For more information on the Nintendo Switch 2, catch up on everything shown at this week's Nintendo Direct right here.