With the release date and tech specs of the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 now revealed, along with how much first-party Nintendo games cost on the new console, the conversation has shifted to the cost of the system itself. While no prices were confirmed during the Nintendo Direct presentation, regional costings have since surfaced on Nintendo's country-specific websites, revealing that the most affordable way to own Nintendo's new hardware is to be Japanese.

As pointed out in a playful tweet from Duolingo — the language-learning app — Japan is offering two versions of the Switch 2: a multi-language model 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

Since Japan is the only country offering a mono-language console at a lower price, players willing to play in Japanese can save over $100 compared to the system the rest of the world must purchase, which is priced at $449.99 in the U.S.

In some experts' opinions, the higher international price may be influenced by 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 charged for the PlayStation 5 Pro last year," said Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games.

Japan's significance as a key market for Nintendo, 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, may also play a role. "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 if you are fluent in Japanese, there are still hurdles to obtaining the cheaper system. "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 from the Japanese My Nintendo Store, Nintendo is effectively region-locking the console to maintain lower costs for Japanese players.

For more insight into why the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games are priced so high, check out our deep dive as we talk to industry experts.

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