Nintendo Switch 2 Multi-Language Tax

[KuroNeko95]

Someone mentioned this in another thread, but I thought it deserved its own discussion, so I'm creating a new thread for it.

In case you haven't heard, Nintendo will be releasing a new console called the Nintendo Switch 2. There will be two versions:

• ¥49,980: Japanese language only
• ¥69,980: Multilanguage support

Personally, I find this to be a pretty greedy move from Nintendo.
I'd like to hear your thoughts on them charging more just for language support.

There are a lot of foreigners living and working in Japan who get paid in yen and live their lives just like everyone else here. I've seen mixed opinions on this — things like, "If you live in Japan, you should make the effort to learn Japanese." But I don't think that's really the issue here.

I've lived in Japan for 6 years and have passed the JLPT N1, but I still prefer to play games in English. So why is Nintendo charging an extra ¥20,000 just for language options?
I understand having to pay a Gaijin tax for p4p,... but for language settings? Nah. I think I'll pass this time

 

[Sudsy]

Laughs in Sony Alpha

 

[Combat]

I think it's less with the intention of overcharging gaijin and more with the intention of keeping the console affordable for the average Japanese in a weak yen economy, and combatting scalping by tourists.

 

[TAG Manager]

Changed the title, it's not a 'Gaijin' tax ffs.

 

[Danbo]

Yeah, it is not a move to overcharge foreigners but to separate the markets. It is nothing new. Cameras in Japan are significantly cheaper than in other countries but they have Japanese system language to prevent them from being exported to other countries for a cheaper price.

Same logic applies here. If Nintendo would offer a cheap multi language model in Japan, people from the US or Europe would import it to avoid paying a much higher local price.

If haven't dug deeper into it because in the case if Switch2 things seem to be difficult and I am not interested in getting one at launch. I don't care much about system language, but want have a system without region lock so I can buy games everywhere. I am not sure what Nintendo has planned in this case. They seem to step away from games that are bound to hardware cartridges...and switch to cartridges that just verify that you have permission to download the game. Sounds like the next super shitty move....I will wait some time and let other people test it...

 

[Doggyfong]

• ¥49,980: Japanese language only
• ¥69,980: Multilanguage support

Will be easier to put it as
Japanese local edition vs International edition
Multilanguage device is the exact same as the ones selling overseas

As what @Combat mentioned, its just to make it fair for locals to get a console amid this weakening yen and shit scalper market

My only problem is the nintendo tax
$90 for a game is ridiculous


And the "gaijin tax" was just a joke in the main thread

 

[C4ssandra]

I am very curious to see how it actually plays out for the languages of the titles themselves. I prefer playing games in Japanese just for the language practice, but games with a lot of puns like animal crossing are better in English. I am going to bide my time and see how many games offer multi language before shelling out an extra 20,000.

 

[RagNBoneCouple]

$90 was first reported by someone who doesn't know the difference between USD and Euros. The highest USD MSRP we've seen so far is $80 - that's still a lot, but 90 was shared pretty widely, especially by people who just hate Nintendo and want them to fail.

 

[KuroNeko95]

Changed the title, it's not a 'Gaijin' tax ffs.

It's just a joke 🙄. Obviously, the BIC Camera staff aren't going to ask your Hoseki to buy a Switch.

 

[Secretmugen]

I am very curious to see how it actually plays out for the languages of the titles themselves. I prefer playing games in Japanese just for the language practice, but games with a lot of puns like animal crossing are better in English. I am going to bide my time and see how many games offer multi language before shelling out an extra 20,000.

At least on base Switch, some games' language is determined by system OS language, such as Animal Crossing. Others, like Dragon Quest 3 HD Remake, can be independently toggled to either English or Japanese via ingame settings.

Initially I was pretty annoyed at the region lock (language lock is less so because it'd give me more practice), but 99 percent of my games are digital and on my home country's eshop account. Then I thought it over a bit more and realized there's actually nothing I want to play on Switch 2 that isn't already on PC.