TIL: Switch 2 is even more fun in japan. Seemingly they have a region-locked japanese-only variant costing 49.980 Yen.

You can get a multi-language system in japan generally. But have to jump through hoops like being a member of switch online for one year and other stuff. And then its just a raffle. Oh and also that switch will cost you 69.980 Yen. Lovely

@stefan ohh i didn't know...

@stefan it's because they want to make it affordable for domestic people, now that the purchasing power is really bad there. But they also don't want foreigners buying japanese switches and selling them overseas (scalping is seen as a really huge problem in japan)

@aetios Cant tell it costs that much to provide a variant with a wider langauge-support.

I mean I can maybe get behind the lottery and shit but making it about 20.000 yen extra just to not have a non-japanese switch is downright evil.

@stefan they just don't want non-japanese people buying the switches meant for the japanese market. it's a protective move

@stefan @aetios I'm in Japan right now and I can't get either one. I'm traveling to the USA in a month and picking one up and bringing back

@stefan region-locked? as in, can only play Japanese games?

@aetios a protective move that does kinda harms consumers as well. It is kinda a dick-move to software lock hardware thats perfectly good otherwise.

But I guess the japanese are different and their market is too.

@ra1n I am not sure on that one. It is though a console that can only select japanese for its language so it would not wonder me if its also locked to japanese only games, though that might not be the case as the SW1 was not.

@sun @aetios Do think about VAT and tarrifs though when bringing it back

@stefan it doesn't really harm japanese consumers just those who are looking to get a cheap switch in japan. Which is exactly who nintendo wants to deter. so i guess it's working

@stefan @sun no one has ever paid those on stuff you just own

@stefan yea hopefully not region-locked for games, but wouldn't be surprised either with how Nintendo is.

@aetios @sun If its a new one you bring over you will certainly have to.

@stefan @sun no one checks...

we brought a brand new macbook from into NL and didnt pay a dime

they have something better to do than chase smallfry for pennies

@aetios Yeah looking at the pricing the 49 thousand yen switch is remarkably cheap under 300€.

Also it does not harm native japanese consumers. But everyone who is an immigrant (I know not too many in japan) is in a disadvantage sure. So they either choose a cheaper switch or a more expensive one that does support their mother-language.

I just hate that greedy fucks ruin so much in the space tbh.

@aetios @sun the fact that one checks does not make it legal. Its ghe same in the EU for foreign goods.

The chances they search your bags might be slim but its done.

Also it is very different if you bring stuff as a tourist or a resident.

Also if you actually pay anything will depend on if you are under certain thresholds or not pretty sure japan has some tax-free margin as well.

@rick though the japanese-only model is just way cheaper than our normal ones. Its like extra cheap

@stefan understand me well i am not happy with the situation, but this is my analysis. I hope sun can get a switch. (also I want a switch 2 as well...)

@stefan @aetios I've done things like this before and never had a problem.

@stefan @aetios you make a good point so I'll do some internet searching but I am pretty sure they'll just assume I own it. I'll probably ditch the box

@aetios I totally get where you are coming from for sure.

I mean in reality it is a really cheap switch 2 for sure. So those would be scalped for sure. Even exported they would be super cheap and one could easily flip them here for a profit given you would buy them in bulk.

Just seems super hostile.

But thank you for the perspective at least. One would think in japan it would be not problematic to get one. In Europe it seems you can get them easy but they generally expensive

@sun @aetios just use it lots before bringing it