Switch 2 Goes for the Kill in Japan By Massively Undercutting PS5's Price 1
Image: Push Square

In the rest of the world, the Switch 2 is comparatively priced to the PS5 – but Nintendo knows where its bread is buttered.

The Mario maker has come up with a fascinating solution to the weakening yen and the threat of exports: a Japanese language-only system which will retail for ¥49,980 (~$338).

That’s significantly less than the $450 the system will sell for in the US, and it’s almost half the price of the PS5, which currently retails for ¥79,980 (~$542).

Interestingly, Nintendo will also sell a multi-language version of the Switch 2 for ¥69,980 (~$474) in Japan, but it clearly expects most domestic consumers to cough up for the cheaper option.

The strategy should, in theory, help deter the device from getting exported overseas – and it’ll presumably prevent importers from taking advantage of the poor Japanese economy.

But for Sony, this may be the final nail in its domestic coffin.

PS5 has been doing fine in its local market, but it’s consistently been outsold by the Switch, and its ever-increasing prices have stalled its momentum. It’d take an extremely optimistic outlook to expect anything other than a hearty butt stomping here.

Sony, of course, may not care. The Japanese market is an undeniably important one, but it’s focused more on growing its presence globally these days.

Therefore, the company may have simply ceded the advantage to Nintendo here, and it’ll just scoop up any remaining portions of the market that are left.