It’s come to light that Nintendo Switch 2’s GameChat will have some big requirements and limitations.
Fans first noticed this text in the Ask The Developer feature about GameChat:
To use online services, you must create a Nintendo Account and accept the related agreement. The Nintendo Account Privacy Policy applies. Internet connection and paid Nintendo Switch Online membership required.
Mobile phone number registration required to use GameChat. Children must get approval from a parent or guardian via the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app to use GameChat. Some online services may not be available in all countries.
A compatible USB-C camera, such as the Nintendo Switch 2 camera (sold separately), is required to use some game features and video chat.
Surprisingly, this seems like it’s one of those things that Nintendo did communicate with us properly the first time. It simply flew under the radar because the public was overloaded with information that wasn’t being relayed in a reasonable and easy to follow manner. At the same time, misinformation was spreading easily because Nintendo failed to plan and control the flow of information about the Switch 2.
Nintendo’s dedicated webpage about GameChat does have a good explanation of how this works. The page says this about verification:
Verification by text message
As an additional security measure, text message verification is required to set up GameChat. It uses the phone number registered to your Nintendo Account.
It’s also mentioned in the section about Nintendo Switch Parental Controls:
Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app
For players under age 16 to be able to use GameChat, a parent or guardian must first allow use of the feature in the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls smart device app.
It’s only possible for younger players to use GameChat with people who have been approved by their parent or guardian.
If a younger player wishes to use GameChat, the phone number registered to the parent or guardian on the account will be used for verification messages.
It’s been over a decade since Nintendo first muddled into video chat with Wii U Chat. At the time they introduced it, Skype was starring to go mainstream, and a free app spread on desktop and mobile operating systems.
Of course, today Skype has finally been retired by its owner, Microsoft, and most video and text messaging applications today require phone registration. We absolutely shouldn’t have been surprised about this phone requirement, as it’s tantamount to two-factor authentication alongside your Nintendo account. If this app launched without this or other similar protection measures, parents and consumer protection organizations would be questioning Nintendo.
But now we also see that Nintendo may not enable GameChat for all Switch 2 users around the world. Obviously, they’ll have to figure out how to navigate different laws regarding video chats, involving privacy and data collection issues. With all this said, Nintendo gamers in their biggest regions, including US, Japan, UK, France, etc, are definitely going to see GameChat as a huge selling point for the Switch 2.
