The Verge tries Nintendo's Switch 2 GameChat
Nintendo introduced a new hardware button to the Switch 2 specifically for chatting with your friends, and it's undoubtedly my favorite feature on the console. Instead of using a smartphone app like the original Switch, Switch 2 users can open up a communications channel at any time with the 'C' button and chat with friends, whether they're playing the same game or something else.
That idea sounds a little outdated with the popularity of Discord, but Nintendo makes the process seamless enough that I can imagine a lot of people will end up using it. Last Friday, a few of my colleagues and I hopped into a GameChat session together and played Mario Kart World online — all of us communicating through the built-in microphone on our consoles and various USB webcams, with our likeness displayed on the bottom of the screen.
The noise reduction and compression processing on the Switch 2's mic was surprisingly impressive: my audio was clear and easy to understand without any background noise, even when sitting 5-10 feet away from the console. The Switch 2's face detection and background removal with its camera works well, too, and it was hilariously useful when a cutout of our faces showed up over our Mario Kart characters during a race.
GameChat's screensharing feature, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired. The frame rate for each user's gameplay feed is very low and compressed, making it choppy and hard to follow. Nintendo seems to be limiting the video feeds for a steadier and more consistent experience, but this didn't actually prevent dropouts. My colleague Cameron's video feed was interrupted multiple times, and he had to rejoin the session for his camera stream or gameplay to display again. I later came across this problem myself. Nintendo also limits the amount of users who can share video to four per session; eight more can join the chat but only stream their audio.
The feature is free right now, but only for a limited time. After March 31st, 2026, Switch 2 users will need to pay for a Nintendo Switch Online membership to use GameChat. Console gamers are used to paying for online play, but having to pay to use a button on the controller expands just how much of the console experience is locked behind a subscription.
Despite those limits, I can imagine a world where my best friend calls me on my Switch 2 to make dinner plans or to play a strategic round of Splatoon. This setup also becomes a perfect setup for a Twitch stream. The low-stakes, easy setup voice call is a delightful and useful addition to Nintendo's updated console, and has the potential to be a central hub for a lot of new ways to play games like Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, and Fortnite.
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At bottom, the bigger, denser screen, better control layout and feel, and bigger grips make it a winner -- at least until it's got more competitors.
