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

With the much-anticipated release date and technical specifications of the Nintendo Switch 2 now unveiled, alongside insights into the pricing of first-party Nintendo games for the new console, the spotlight naturally shifts to the cost 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 own the new hardware is by being in Japan.

This intriguing fact was humorously pointed out by Duolingo, the language-learning app, via a tweet highlighting 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 available for 49,980 yen (about $341).

Gamers, learn Japanese to save $133! https://t.co/misNmSstIf

— Duolingo (@duolingo) April 3, 2025

Japan's unique offering of a single-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.

Some experts speculate that the higher international price might 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 dared to charge for the PlayStation 5 Pro last year," commented Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games.

Additionally, Japan's significance as a key market for Nintendo, where it accounted for 24% of the Nintendo Switch installed base in 2024 (versus 2% for Xbox Series X/S and 9% for PlayStation 5), plays a role in the pricing strategy. "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."

Even for those fluent in Japanese, acquiring the more affordable system poses challenges. "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 through the Japanese My Nintendo Store, Nintendo effectively region-locks the console to maintain lower prices for Japanese consumers.

For a deeper understanding of the pricing strategy behind the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games, check out our comprehensive analysis featuring insights from industry experts.

To stay updated on everything revealed about the Nintendo Switch 2 at this week's Nintendo Direct, catch up here.