The Nintendo Switch 2 is releasing this June, after eight long years of rumors, hype and waiting. A lot was said both during and after the recent dedicated Nintendo Direct showcase, so it was easy to get confused amidst the barrage of information. As this is the internet, there were also those intentionally twisting or exaggerating the truth, in order to get some engagement. A few viral tweets later and it seems there’s a lot of misinformation and myths about Nintendo’s next console going around right now!
We’re here to fix that, as we’re going to debunk five of the biggest myths currently plaguing Switch 2 discourse online. We’ll tell you how the myth started, what the truth is, and whether it’s something we should really be concerned about or not.
Myth #1: Physical games cost $90
Let’s start with perhaps the most prevalent of all Switch 2 myths – the suggestion that games now cost $90 in the United States at retail price. This is not true whatsoever – no digital or physical Nintendo Switch 2 game has a $90 price tag. This myth originated from folks misreading currency labels online, and mistaking the 90 in another currency for US dollars. This spread like wildfire online as it would be quite outrageous for the standard accepted game price to leap $20, currently being $70 for the major gaming platforms.
So what is the truth? The big first party Switch 2 games are priced at $70, judging based on Donkey Kong Bananza’s confirmed retail price. There is a single glaring exception with Mario Kart World, which is $80. Yes, this is higher than the average game price for any platform including other Switch 2 confirmed games, and we still don’t know why. There’s a Nintendo Direct entirely dedicated to Mario Kart World coming later this month, and we’ll be waiting until then to see if maybe Nintendo is hiding something that explains this one-off price spike for this individual game.
Myth #2: The system is region-locked
The suggestion that the Nintendo Switch 2 is region locked is completely wrong broadly – but there is a small grain of truth in where the myth came from. In Japan only, there will be a Japanese language Switch 2 system available to purchase from Nintendo directly, which only allows Japanese as the system language, and only works with Japanese region Nintendo accounts. This is not all Switch 2 systems sold in Japan, it’s simply a variant available as an option for Nintendo fans who live in Japan and don’t want to play anything in another language other than their own.
Nintendo is selling this Japanese version of the Switch 2 to protect their audience in their home region of Japan. The system is cheaper to buy there than in the United States due to the ongoing tariffs situation, and Nintendo doesn’t want all of their native stock of Switch 2 systems to disappear to resellers who pass them on to people from other countries. Therefore, they make a version of the Switch 2 that will only really be convenient for a Japanese gamer to use. This is not a region lock, this does not apply to any other Switch 2 system, and it was only created to give more Japanese gamers the chance to grab a Switch 2.
Myth #3: Physical games require downloads
This is another myth that has some truth, but has been blown wildly out of proportion. Most Nintendo Switch 2 games, especially those that are developed by Nintendo, will just be completely normal games that have all their data physically on the cartridge. No downloads will be required in most instances. However, Switch 2 will also have a new option available to publishers that choose to use them with Game-Key Cards. These are physical cartridges that will act as a licence to access the digital version of the game – when they’re inserted you can play the game, when they’re removed, you can’t.
This is a system designed to help third-party publishers create physical releases for their games where they won’t fit on the cartridges. This is a much better solution than the Full Game Download editions of Nintendo Switch games, which were empty cases with a piece of paper inside that contained a download code. Switch 2 Game-Key Cards give access to the digital version to any who use them – meaning they can be resold and borrowed to friends, and don’t expire after one use unlike the redeemable game codes from Switch 1. In short: digital games can have physical cartridges that allow them to function as physical games on Switch 2, but it’s completely optional that only some publishers will choose to use. Nintendo likely won’t.
Myth #4: All performance upgrades cost money
Part of the excitement around having a successor to the Nintendo Switch is the possibility of playing improved versions of games we loved from 2017’s Switch. Nintendo revealed Switch 2 Editions, paid upgrades for select Switch titles that give them additional features and graphical improvements on the Switch 2, and this led many to believe that all performance upgrades the Switch 2 can offer will be paid. This is not true, and there are in fact a bunch of games confirmed to be receiving entirely free performance and/or feature additions on Switch 2!
These games receiving free improvements range from massive Switch games like Super Mario Odyssey and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet to smaller releases like Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain or ARMS. You can check out the full list on Nintendo’s website right now, but it’s good to know some games can use the power of the Switch 2 without an added cost. It seems the additional cost of official Switch 2 editions is based on the amount of work put into them, with most receiving at least some kind of new content to try out, or significant performance and visual enhancement that required extra development work.
Myth #5: Nintendo is being greedy with the console price
We’ll end with the most controversial one, but it’s something that needs to be addressed. With the news that Nintendo is delaying the pre-order date of the Switch 2 to reassess their plans in the wake of the ongoing global tariff situation, many have been quick to call out the price of the Switch 2 as being “overpriced even pre-tariff”, suggesting two things. Firstly, that the system costs too much for what it is, and secondly that the initial launch price did not take into account the incoming tariffs from President Trump. Neither of these are true.
Firstly, the Switch 2 only costs $50 more (when adjusted for inflation) than the launch price of the Nintendo Switch. With such huge leaps in technology, form factor and overall build quality, it’s hard to argue that it isn’t worth it. Secondly, the notion that Nintendo priced the Switch 2 as they did before considering the tariffs is also wrong. The whole world knew about the United States’ tariff plans for months, as they were part of the President’s campaign and have been discussed numerous times since his election. Everyone knew tariffs and economic instability could be coming – especially a gigantic corporation like Nintendo. Many professional market analysts have repeated it by now, but in case it wasn’t clear – Nintendo did likely price the Switch 2 to prepare for tariffs, the issue is the tariffs that were announced were much more severe than anticipated. That’s not business greed, that’s global economic instability.
With that, there’s five major myths circulating about the Switch 2 busted. Are you still confused about any Switch 2 topics? Let us know in the comments below, and keep your eyes on GameLuster for more gaming news, including plenty of Switch 2 coverage.
