Nintendo Unveils Budget Japanese-Only Switch 2; Duolingo Joins in Fun

Now that we finally have a release date and tech specs on the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 — as well as an idea of how much first-party Nintendo games cost on the new console — attention shifts to the cost of the system itself.

Although no prices were confirmed during the Nintendo Direct presentation, regional costings have since appeared on Nintendo's country-specific websites, revealing that the most cost-effective way to own the new hardware is to be in Japan.

As playfully pointed out by Duolingo — the education app that teaches a variety of languages, including Japanese — Japan is offering two different Switch 2 models: 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

As Japan is the only country offering a mono-language console option at a lower price, this means players willing to play in Japanese can save over $100 compared to the system available elsewhere, which is priced at $449.99 in the U.S.

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

"Nintendo likely considered possible tariffs, the current global inflationary climate, and the $700 Sony charged for the PlayStation 5 Pro last year," said Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games.

It may also be because Japan is "a key market for Nintendo," with the country accounting for a quarter (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 were aligned with the U.S. Dollar price, it would significantly weaken Nintendo's position in Japan, effectively doubling 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 challenges with grey imports to other territories."

Even if you are fluent in Japanese, there are still barriers to obtaining the more affordable system.

"The Japanese-Language System (Japan only) is designed for use in Japan only," states Nintendo's own 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 additional 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 keep costs down for Japanese players.

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

To stay updated on the Nintendo Switch 2, you can review everything showcased at this week's Nintendo Direct right here.