Nintendo confirmed the launch of two versions of the Nintendo Switch 2 in Japan, highlighting an exclusive Japanese model that will be sold by 49,980 yen - about $ 1,880 in the current price, without taxes . The other multilingual version will cost 69,980 yen - about $ 2,697. The difference in value caught the attention of players outside Japan, but the language and account block prevents the full use of the console by those who do not speak Japanese.
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Nintendo's strategy responds to the devaluation of Iene against the dollar, which presses the prices of electronic products in the domestic market. With Switch 2, the company tries to offer a more affordable value to Japanese consumers without harming their profit margins in other countries.
To this end, it waged the language of the system and limited the use to Nintendo accounts linked to Japan. In practice, it is a way of returning to regional blockade, something the company had abandoned in previous consoles. Despite the language lock, the Switch 2 Japanese model maintains compatibility with games in any country.
This makes the product attractive for foreign buyers in search of economy. However, system restriction can frustrate those who do not understand the language, as menus and settings will be available only in Japanese, with no choice of change.
Lottery system in Japan and pre-sale by invitation in the West mark the global release
To control high demand, Nintendo will use a lottery system in Japan. Interested parties will need to register to have a chance to buy the console at the launch. This practice is already common in the country, adopted in crowded releases, such as video signs and limited editions of consoles. The rules for participation in the lottery will be released on April 4.
In the United States and Europe, the company will adopt a pre-sale invitation system through the official website. The initiative seeks to avoid mass resellers at inflated prices and guarantee direct access to the end consumer. So far, there is no information on what the process will look like in large retailers or if Brazil will adopt similar strategy.
In the US market, Switch 2 will arrive for $ 449.99, while in the UK will cost £ 395. These values put the console among the most expensive in the category. In Brazil, there is still no official price definition, but experts estimate that the value is between $ 4,000 and $ 4,500, considering brand history and electronics taxes.
Japanese version of Nintendo Switch 2 can press prices
The existence of a cheaper version of Nintendo Switch 2 raises questions about the impact on prices practiced on other markets, especially in Brazil. Nintendo's strategy, however, seems to be thought to avoid this pressure. By limiting the language and the region of use, the company makes it difficult for importers, which reduces the chance that the Japanese model directly affects sales in other countries.
Nintendo sells Switch OLED in Brazil for R $ 3,899, which already includes taxes and resale margins. The new console is expected to exceed this value, which can make the Japanese model a temptation for the most experienced technology. Still, the language barrier remains a decisive factor at the time of purchase.
With the new approach, Nintendo signals a change of posture in relation to the regional block. At the same time, it seeks to protect itself from market distortions caused by currency variations and logistics pressures. Switch 2 arrives with high performance promises, but also with a more controlled and restrictive release - at least in the early stages.
