The Switch 2 has a ‘Multi-Language’ variant on sale in Japan.
Nintendo
One of the odd aspects of the Switch 2 announcement was the quiet news that a special ‘Multi-Language’ Switch 2 would be sold online in Japan.
To clarify, the regular Switch 2 in Japan will retail in shops for 49,980 yen (or around $339 at the current exchange rate). However, this version will be Japanese language only, and will only support Japanese language games.
Considering that the first Switch dispensed with region locking entirely back in 2017, it seems initially odd that Nintendo would go back to this kind of regioning again.
I did reach out to Nintendo to get an official statement, and I received this answer.
“The Japanese-Language System (Japan Only) is available only in the Japanese market. It only supports Japanese as the system language, there are restrictions on the Nintendo Accounts that can be linked, and only the Japanese Nintendo eShop can be accessed. The Nintendo Switch 2 Multi-Language System, which is the same model as will be available in the rest of the world, has an MSRP of 69,980 yen and will only be available on the My Nintendo Store in Japan. Different regions make different decisions based on a variety of factors.”
It’s a fairly straightforward answer, but it’s certainly interesting that the Multi-Language system is the base model for other regions.
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With that in mind, you can see that the massive popularity of the original Switch and the relatively weak yen have meant that scalpers have been making a killing online.
Selling Japanese systems at a huge markup, knowing that they are region-free and can play all the games.
So, Nintendo’s move to lock out the cheaper Japanese version from international sales by making it region-locked to Japanese games feels like a way of countering the scalpers who are currently making a fortune on the current Switch.
This increased console pricing in Japan also aligns it with the PlayStation 5, which I don’t feel is an accident either.
The only catch is that the Multi-Language Switch 2 in Japan is currently a lottery purchase. Winners are announced on April 24, prior to the June 5 release.
It’s a pity that the Switch 2 has had to go this route to likely counter scalpers visiting Japan, but at least we are still getting a regular region-free console.
Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
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