When Nintendo Announced the Switch 2 Would Cost $450, My Initial Reaction was Disappointment
When Nintendo announced the Switch 2 would cost $450, my initial reaction was disappointment. "Why does it cost so much more?" I thought to myself. "Why does Japan get it cheaper?" my brain jealously added, once I learned that Nintendo would sell a Japan-only model for the equivalent of just $333.
The Original Switch Still Costs Around 33,000 Yen in Japan
Since its March 3rd, 2017, debut, Nintendo basically hasn’t changed the price of the original Switch in either the US or Japan. The portable console cost $300 USD or ¥32,378 in 2017; it costs the same $300 USD or a very slightly higher ¥32,978 today, eight years later. But the US economy and the Japanese economy have not been the same since 2017. Inflation and exchange rates have drastically changed since then.
The Effects of Inflation and Exchange Rates
On the one hand, the US dollar now buys less in the US than it did in 2017. Dramatic US inflation means that an original $300 Switch would cost nearly $400 if introduced today. The same is not true in Japan, which has historically had low inflation, or even deflation, until fairly recently. A ¥32,378 Switch would cost more like ¥36,000 today if Nintendo had followed the trend.
On the other hand, US dollars are now worth dramatically more in Japan because the Japanese yen is remarkably weak. Compare: on January 13th, 2017, the day Nintendo announced the original Switch’s price, you could only get 114 yen per US dollar. On April 2nd, 2025, the day Nintendo announced the Switch 2, each dollar was worth almost 150 yen. Each dollar buys 30 percent more in Japan than it did back then.
Japan’s Experience with Inflation and Tourism
Japan is experiencing more tourism than ever before as a result of that weak yen, to the point some particularly scenic locations have become overrun — it was international news when a small town near Mount Fuji erected a barrier to keep people from blocking the streets while duplicating an iconic Instagram shot of the mountain merged with a convenience store. I just came back from a two-week trip to Japan, and I’ve never eaten so well for so little cash.
But Japanese Residents Can’t Say the Same
Not only is Japan starting to experience inflated food prices, but their wages reportedly aren’t keeping pace. It’s not fair to say, “Oh, Japan only has to pay $330 for the Switch 2 while we pay $450,” because both the Japanese and international versions cost almost exactly 50 percent more than Nintendo charges for an original Switch.
The Disparity in Pricing
Instead, the disparity we see is likely because the dollar goes so much further right now, and because the yen does not. As one Tokyo-based game streamer put it: “Salaries and cost of living hasn’t changed at all here so 49,980 feels like 450 usd.” A fun thought experiment: if exchange rates were the same as they were in 2017, the Japan-only Switch 2 would cost $434 in US money. It would cost $450 USD there if the dollar sinks to 111 yen or below, which it did during large portions of 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Conclusion
While Nintendo might be charging more than I’d like to spend, particularly with its $80 games and its button that makes you pay extra, I no longer think the company’s being distinctly unfair to gamers outside of Japan. The $450 price makes more sense when you consider what’s happened to the dollar and the yen.
FAQs
Q: Why is the Switch 2 so expensive?
A: The Switch 2 is not expensive in the context of Japan, where the yen is weak, making the dollar worth more. In the US, the Switch 2 is more expensive due to inflation and exchange rates.
Q: Why does Japan get a cheaper version of the Switch 2?
A: The Japan-only Switch 2 is priced to reflect the weak yen, making the dollar worth more in Japan.
Q: Is Nintendo being unfair to gamers outside of Japan?
A: No, Nintendo is not being unfair. The company is pricing the Switch 2 based on the current economic conditions in Japan and the US.
Q: Can Nintendo justify charging 50 percent more for a new handheld eight years later?
A: While US inflation might help justify a $400 Switch, Nintendo can afford to get away with a $450 Switch because real competition is slim.
Q: How does the Switch 2 compare to other handheld gaming options?
A: The Switch 2 stands alone in terms of pricing, with no other handheld gaming options in the same price range.
