Since the Switch’s launch, even the most loyal of Nintendo fans have aired grievances with the way in which the company has handled online communication. While first-party games frustratinglymake use of a smartphone app for voice chat,Fortnitehas allowed for players to simply plug in their headphones to communicate—and now the software that makes this possible is open for use by other developers.
These tools from the company Vivox, which focuses on both voice and text chat, are what enable simple voice chat for the Switch. Not only can players speak with those on other Switch consoles, but also with players across all platformsFortniteis available on, including PC, Xbox One, mobile, and even PS4 now.
In contrast to this, first-party Nintendo games have required more contrived and complicated set-ups. WithSplatoon 2in particular, a peripheral connected a headset to a smartphone, and that phone to the Switch’s headphone jack to siphon both chat audio and game audio to one set. It was neither the prettiest nor the most practical solution.
WithSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatebeing such an immensely popular andtop-selling video gamefor the platform, it is frustrating that there isn’t a simpler way to communicate with friends through the console itself. While I did attempt to use the native Nintendo Switch Online app on my iPhone, I found that it disconnected occasionally. Nowadays, my peers and I flock over to Discord instead.
It is vaguely reminiscent of theSuper Smash Bros. Brawldays on the Wii, which similarly did not have any obvious voice chat solutions—back in 2008, friends and I resorted to using landline telephones. The closest the Wii came to voice chat was through the Wii Speak room microphone, and the occasional third-party headset, though either way, players could only talk with registered friends.
BesidesFortnite, theSwitch version ofWarframefrom late last year also has in-game voice chat, though last we heard,Payday 2was waiting for approvalto do something similar. Vivox also states thatPaladinsandSmitefrom High Rez Studios will be next to receive similar treatment for voice chat. Even with that headphone jack coming into play, Switch owners who have their consoles docked may still have a hard time having their headphones reach the device, as Switch controllers do not have headphone jacks of their own.
