Nintendo Launches Affordable Japan-Only Switch 2, Duolingo Reacts

With the eagerly awaited release date and tech specs of the Nintendo Switch 2 finally revealed, along with the pricing of first-party Nintendo games on the new console, the focus now shifts to the cost of the system itself. Although no prices were officially announced during the Nintendo Direct presentation, regional pricing has since emerged on Nintendo's country-specific websites, revealing that the most affordable option to own the new hardware is in Japan.

A humorous tweet from Duolingo, the language learning app, pointed out that Japan is offering two versions of the Switch 2: a multi-language version priced at 69,980 yen (approximately $477), and a Japanese language-only edition for 49,980 yen (about $341).

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

— Duolingo (@duolingo) April 3, 2025

Japan being the only country offering a mono-language console at a lower price means that players 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 believe the higher international price may be influenced by U.S. President Donald Trump's recently announced international tariffs. Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games, commented, "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."

Japan's significance as 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, may also play a role. James McWhirter, an analyst at Omdia, explained, "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. 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're fluent in Japanese, there are still hurdles to accessing the cheaper system. Nintendo's website clearly states, "The Japanese-Language System (Japan only) is designed for use in Japan only. 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 costs for Japanese consumers.

For a deeper understanding of why the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games are priced so high, check out our in-depth analysis as we discuss with industry experts.

For more information on the Nintendo Switch 2, you can review everything showcased at this week's Nintendo Direct right here.