"Nintendo Launches Budget Japanese-Only Switch 2, Duolingo Reacts"

Now that we have eagerly awaited details on the release date and tech specs of the much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, along with insights into the cost of first-party Nintendo games on the new console, attention is shifting to the price of the system itself.

Although no prices were officially announced during the Nintendo Direct presentation, regional pricing has surfaced on Nintendo's country-specific websites, revealing that the most cost-effective way to own the new hardware is in Japan.

As cleverly pointed out by Duolingo — the language learning app — in a playful tweet, Japan offers two versions of the Switch 2: a multi-language version priced at 69,980 yen (approximately $477), and a Japanese language-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 a single-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 pricing could be influenced by U.S. President Donald Trump's recently announced international tariffs.

"Nintendo likely took into account potential tariffs, global inflation, and the $700 Sony charged for the PlayStation 5 Pro last year," noted Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games.

Another factor is Japan's significance as a key market for Nintendo, where the country represented 24% of the Nintendo Switch's installed base in 2024, compared to just 2% for Xbox Series X/S and 9% for PlayStation 5.

"If the Switch 2's pricing in Japanese Yen matched the U.S. Dollar price, it would significantly undermine Nintendo's market position in Japan, effectively doubling the price from the original LCD Nintendo Switch model," explained James McWhirter, an analyst at Omdia. "However, maintaining region-specific pricing that's much cheaper in USD terms could lead to grey market imports into other regions."

Even if you're fluent in Japanese, obtaining the cheaper system remains challenging. "The Japanese-Language System (Japan only) is intended 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 sold through the Japanese My Nintendo Store, Nintendo is effectively region-locking the console to keep costs lower for Japanese consumers.

For a deeper understanding of why the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games are priced so high, check out our detailed analysis where we consult industry experts.

To stay updated on everything unveiled at this week's Nintendo Direct regarding the Nintendo Switch 2, catch up on our comprehensive coverage here.