The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally been revealed, and it looks like it’ll be a lot more than a simple specs upgrade. Among other new features, the right Joy-Con also has a mysterious C button, and now we know what it means. The c stands for chat, meaning the Switch 2 will be the first Nintendo console to have native voice chat.
Pressing the button while playing the console will activate chat mode, which creates a line of boxes at the base of the screen with the people in your party. The microphone is included on the top of the main console, so you can speak freely without needing a second microphone. The feature also allegedly can erase background noise: their example had someone using a blender.
You can also fill these boxes, which normally have profile pictures and soundwaves, with game footage. Whether it’s the same game or separate ones, players will be able to see each other’s screens, though it looks like the footage will have a heavily reduced frame rate, based on what they showed.
You can also show yourself on screen using the Switch 2 Camera, which launches the same day as the console. It can erase your background, placing you in front of your gameplay, or just show a direct feed of your surroundings, no game included. Some games, like Mario Party Jamboree, will also make use of the camera to include players’ heads and their reactions. Unlike the game footage, the frame rate of this footage does not look dramatically reduced, though I’m sure that will depend on your internet speed.
This voice chat feature is collectively known as GameChat. The Switch Online service is required to use it, but there will be a months-long period where that’s not the case for the game’s launch. That period will last from the console’s launch in June to March 31, 2026.
For more Switch 2, check out its big launch title, Mario Kart World.
