One thing that caught my eye about the price was a shift in cross-region access and what appears to be a way to manage price arbitrage. The Japanese console is priced at 49,980円 or about $335, and the current product page on the Japanese website shows this:
"The Japanese-Language System (Japan only) is designed for use in Japan only. Only Japanese is available as the system language, and only Nintendo Accounts with the country/region set to Japan can be linked to this system."
This feels like a big step backwards and reminds me of the old region lock days of consoles where you needed to mod things to play imported games. We're an American family living in Japan, and we have a US Switch console that we play US and Japanese carts on (typically in English) and a Japanese PS5 that we play Japanese discs on (in English where available, which is incredible and makes everything feel so modern).
With average domestic wages a lot lower here it's awesome of them to keep the price relatively reasonable for most families but again it does feel like a step backwards with regards to buying and sharing games
Oh! I should have kept reading before spewing all of that off. It looks like they will also be offering a "Multi-Language System" for 69,980円 or about $475.
Fascinating. So there’s a Japanese/Japan-account model being sold in Japan and the more expensive multi-language unit? Do they say anything that suggests that games themselves will have region locks?
Correct, both models. The Japan-only one also has a bundle with Mario Kart World, and all of them will be open to pre-orders later this month (with some strict requirements to who can apply for the lottery! 50+ hours of gametime in your account, >1 year Nintendo Switch Online membership, and an account specifically set to Japan).
I don't see anything that says the games themselves will be region locked, which is promising.
However, for any games I've played in the generation of consoles that offer multiple languages, the game will play at the language that the system is set to. (As opposed to, say, playing an old game where you pick the language in a menu before the title screen). I'll admit we don't play enough games to know if there are still a lot that offer in-game switching.
Fantastic and timely info. Thank you! Typos are accepted.
The "adjusted for inflation" original Switch price note was super helpful.
Stoked to learn more about this FromSoftware thing...
I seriously miss flying games. Too bad no one really makes them anymore.
Really excellent and extremely coverage, Stephen. Thank you!
One thing that caught my eye about the price was a shift in cross-region access and what appears to be a way to manage price arbitrage. The Japanese console is priced at 49,980円 or about $335, and the current product page on the Japanese website shows this:
"The Japanese-Language System (Japan only) is designed for use in Japan only. Only Japanese is available as the system language, and only Nintendo Accounts with the country/region set to Japan can be linked to this system."
This feels like a big step backwards and reminds me of the old region lock days of consoles where you needed to mod things to play imported games. We're an American family living in Japan, and we have a US Switch console that we play US and Japanese carts on (typically in English) and a Japanese PS5 that we play Japanese discs on (in English where available, which is incredible and makes everything feel so modern).
With average domestic wages a lot lower here it's awesome of them to keep the price relatively reasonable for most families but again it does feel like a step backwards with regards to buying and sharing games
Oh! I should have kept reading before spewing all of that off. It looks like they will also be offering a "Multi-Language System" for 69,980円 or about $475.
Quite an elegant solution after all!
Fascinating. So there’s a Japanese/Japan-account model being sold in Japan and the more expensive multi-language unit? Do they say anything that suggests that games themselves will have region locks?
Correct, both models. The Japan-only one also has a bundle with Mario Kart World, and all of them will be open to pre-orders later this month (with some strict requirements to who can apply for the lottery! 50+ hours of gametime in your account, >1 year Nintendo Switch Online membership, and an account specifically set to Japan).
I don't see anything that says the games themselves will be region locked, which is promising.
However, for any games I've played in the generation of consoles that offer multiple languages, the game will play at the language that the system is set to. (As opposed to, say, playing an old game where you pick the language in a menu before the title screen). I'll admit we don't play enough games to know if there are still a lot that offer in-game switching.
Did anyone else’s stream freeze for like four minutes right when the 3rd party montage started? I missed a bunch of these games.