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

With the release date and tech specs now set for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, along with insights into how much first-party Nintendo games cost on the new console, the conversation has shifted to the price of the system itself. Although no prices were confirmed during the Nintendo Direct presentation, regional pricing has emerged on Nintendo's country-specific websites, revealing that the most cost-effective way to purchase the new hardware is in Japan.

A playful tweet from Duolingo, the language learning app, spotlighted this difference. Japan offers two versions of the Switch 2: a multi-language edition priced at 69,980 yen (about $477) and a Japanese-only version for 49,980 yen (around $341).

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

— Duolingo (@duolingo) April 3, 2025

Japan being the only country to offer a mono-language console at a lower price means players comfortable with Japanese can save over $100 compared to the international version, which costs $449.99 in the U.S.

Some experts' opinions suggest that the higher international price might be due to U.S. President Donald Trump's recently announced international tariffs. "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," said Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games.

Japan's significance as a key market for Nintendo, where it accounted for 24% of the Nintendo Switch installed base in 2024 (compared to just 2% for Xbox Series X/S and 9% for PlayStation 5), could also be a factor. "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, an 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 if you're fluent in Japanese, there are still hurdles to obtaining the cheaper model. "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 limitations, 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 prices for Japanese consumers.

For a deeper understanding of why the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games are priced so high, check out our deep dive as we talk to industry experts. To catch up on everything shown at this week's Nintendo Direct, click here.