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Every new Nintendo console has to come with one or two gimmicks, and this time around we got the mouse-mode Joy-Cons and the subject of this post, Game Chat.
Game Chat has been widely available for everyone to try since launch, but not everyone remembers that this service will be exclusive to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers after March 31st.
Let’s go over what this means to the average Nintendo Switch 2 owner to find out who gets affected the most while going over and reviewing Game Chat itself.
What even is GameChat on Nintendo Switch 2?
Game Chat is a functionality only available on Nintendo Switch 2 that allows you to chat online with up to 12 people. While this is mostly new to Nintendo Switch fans, this is something that’s been around for 20 years in Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
I’ll give props to Nintendo for finally implementing this on the actual console instead of a smartphone app, like we saw in the last generation. This is truly a step up in that regard, and with the included ‘C Button’ on every official controller, joining or starting a chat session is as straightforward as it could be.
However, Nintendo’s Game Chat is more than just online chatting. You can share your screen while you’re talking and even show your face through a webcam.
While I don’t like using the webcam, being able to just sit down and chat while showing my friend the Pokémon I’m capturing and training in Pokémon LeafGreen while they play an entirely different game is a neat experience.
What changes on March 31, and what does it cost?
Once the free period ends, you’ll need a Nintendo Switch Online account to use GameChat for online play, including online GameShare. Local GameShare still works without it, so if you’re in the same room as your friends (if you have them), you’re fine.
Nintendo Switch Online costs $3.99/month, $7.99 for 3 months, or $19.99/year for an individual plan. The Expansion Pack (which adds N64, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, and SEGA Genesis games) jumps to $49.99/year.
For a single person, this second option is expensive; that’s why I always recommend the Family Pack even for the expansion pack unless you don’t care about retro games and NSO just to play online and use Game Chat.
Nintendo Switch Online Pricing:
INDIVIDUAL
- Basic (1 month): $3.99
- Basic (12 months): $19.99/yr → $1.67/mo
- Expansion Pack (12 months): $49.99/yr → $4.17/mo
FAMILY (up to 8 people)
- Basic (12 months): $34.99/yr → $0.36/person/mo
- Expansion Pack (12 months): $79.99/yr → $0.83/person/mo
Games that DON’T require Switch Online, who’s actually affected?
Everyone who is currently using Game Chat without having NSO will be affected. It seems weird because you need NSO to play online in the first place. Or do you?
Free-to-play games like Fortnite, Warframe, Overwatch 2, Fall Guys, Asphalt Legends Unite, and Disney Speedstorm all have their own online servers and bypass the need for a Nintendo Online Subscription.
So, after March 31st, little Timmy will no longer be able to Game Chat while playing Fortnite with his buddies online. So, he will need to go and ask his parents for an online subscription.
Suddenly, a console you as a parent bought for your kid got a bit pricier, although not by much if you follow the NSO pricing above.
The C button is useless alone
Since I’m someone who’s been subscribed to NSO since the beginning, I don’t see myself without it, so this doesn’t affect me at all. And there’s also the fact that I still prefer to use Discord because I usually play my online video games in docked mode in my office.
But there is one thing that bothers me a lot: the C button is utterly useless on its own. It’s a physical button on my controller that’s just wasting space and materials if I don’t have NSO.
I admit that having a button to launch Game Chat is great, but they should let us remap it to something else. This might be an empty rant for some, but what I can say is that technological waste is a problem.
Will you be affected by the Game Chat paywall?
As mentioned, if you’re someone that only uses Game Chat in Best Nintendo Switch Free-to-Play games online games without having an online subscription, you will be affected. Everyone else will be ok.
And while Game Chat is neat, you don’t need the subscription if your only goal is to chat with your friends. Consider other options like Discord or even Steam Chat that are free, and speak with your friends to see if these are viable options.
Or, check if it’s worth subscribing to a Family Pack. I mean, if you have a $500 console, you might be able to afford it.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll be seeing you again next time with brand-new content!
