The Wii U will support in-game voice chat, but you'll be forgiven if you're not sure exactly how that will work. Nintendo hasn't shown an official headset for the WIi U and the Wii U's Pro Controller—the one that looks a lot like an Xbox 360 controller—doesn't even have a port to connect one.

So how does it work?

The new Nintendo console will support in-game voice chat for "select games", a rep for the company tells Kotaku. Among the games supported will be Assassin's Creed III, Call of Duty Black Ops II and Mass Effect 3, all games with significant online multiplayer modes and all which support in-game voice chat on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The Wii U GamePad—the console's signature twin-stick controller that contains a 6.2-inch screen—contains a microphone and speakers, but that mic does not actually work with the voice chat. Nintendo tells me that users who want to be able to talk to each other can use a licensed stereo headset from Turtle Beach or Mad Catz (Tritton). The headsets plug into the GamePad's headphone jack.

At least one of the aforementioned games, Black Ops II, supports the Pro Controller, but that controller's lack of a jack will require Pro Controller gamers who want voice chat to do something a bit counterintuitive. They'll have to plug their headset into the GamePad, the controller they are otherwise not using, according to a spokesperson for CoD publisher Activision. That rep believes that gamers might be able to use a standard set of headphones that contain a mic (iPhone headphones, for example) with the GamePad, but that's not something I've been able to clarify yet with Nintendo.

From Kotaku

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Why Nintendo are unable to implement cross game chat is beyond me, I was hoping to be able to play New Super Mario Bros U while chatting to some of you guys over the Nintendo Network. Also having to connect the headset to the Gamepad even when you are using another controller is just stupid. And why isn't there a headset in the box? Argghhhhh stupid Nintendo.

Posted by

warerare

on: 10/18/12, 18:57

warerare said:

The Wii U will support in-game voice chat, but you'll be forgiven if you're not sure exactly how that will work. Nintendo hasn't shown an official headset for the WIi U and the Wii U's Pro Controller—the one that looks a lot like an Xbox 360 controller—doesn't even have a port to connect one.

So how does it work?

The new Nintendo console will support in-game voice chat for "select games", a rep for the company tells Kotaku. Among the games supported will be Assassin's Creed III, Call of Duty Black Ops II and Mass Effect 3, all games with significant online multiplayer modes and all which support in-game voice chat on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The Wii U GamePad—the console's signature twin-stick controller that contains a 6.2-inch screen—contains a microphone and speakers, but that mic does not actually work with the voice chat. Nintendo tells me that users who want to be able to talk to each other can use a licensed stereo headset from Turtle Beach or Mad Catz (Tritton). The headsets plug into the GamePad's headphone jack.

At least one of the aforementioned games, Black Ops II, supports the Pro Controller, but that controller's lack of a jack will require Pro Controller gamers who want voice chat to do something a bit counterintuitive. They'll have to plug their headset into the GamePad, the controller they are otherwise not using, according to a spokesperson for CoD publisher Activision. That rep believes that gamers might be able to use a standard set of headphones that contain a mic (iPhone headphones, for example) with the GamePad, but that's not something I've been able to clarify yet with Nintendo.

From Kotaku

Sounds too stupid to be true, I'll wait for someone besides Kotaku to confirm this.

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 10/18/12, 19:15

Pro controller users are second class citizens anyway.

I thought you could talk into the gamepad mic? It was used that way in the video chat with OctoG.

Posted by

Renjaku

on: 10/18/12, 19:21

Edited:

10/18/12, 19:35

i was never expecting cross game chat, so not a big deal to me. most of the time i play games listening to music or podcast anyways, i prefer text messages and the miiverse already allows us to direct message while playing games.

Posted by

Scrawnton

on: 10/18/12, 19:31

Really? Just "some" games? Hmm, that's...odd.

Yeah, I'll wait for more confirmation from other sources. Something just doesn't sound right there.

Posted by

ludist210

on: 10/18/12, 19:33

I wonder if this is really true. Seems really "slap-dash" for such a standard feature. Nintendo doesn't seem to have a clear focus on what the Wii U is going to be/be able to do.

Posted by

GameDadGrant

on: 10/18/12, 19:38

Okay. Hopefully Kotaku is wrong, wrong, wrong about this.

But if they aren't wrong, can we at least admit that there aren't any acceptable excuses for this? I mean, unless it's some situation where only games like Ninjabread Man II don't have voice chat because they can't be bothered to implement it...

Posted by

kriswright

on: 10/18/12, 19:41

@Scrawnton
I never expected it either, and to be honest I've only used it on the 360 a couple times in 7 years so I obviously can do without it. Not having voice chat as a standard feature in all online games is a bit puzzling though.

Posted by

DeputyVanHalen

on: 10/18/12, 19:43

If this is true, while I personally don't care at all, it's a microcosm of everything that is baffling about Nintendo. I have no doubt some things we would assume are "standard features" wont be available on the Wii U. It's just how Nintendo does shit. Why I have no idea however pretty much every console since the SNES has had some bizarre omission that there seems to be no need or reason for.

Posted by

Oldmanwinter

on: 10/18/12, 20:09

Edited:

10/18/12, 20:10

The worst part of all of this to me is that the Turtle Beach headset is wired, not wireless....so even in games that you CAN have voice chat in, you have to plug it into the Gamepad...even if you're not using the Gamepad. I hope that's a long cord!

To be fair, the 360 did not have Party Chat at the beginning...but at the same time, couldn't Nintendo learn from that and just implement it? I mean, on a technical level, the Wii U is more than capable of it.

I don't want to come out with a lot of nerd rage on this issue, but yeah, it's pretty disappointing that the voice chat situation looks to be kind of a cluster eff so far.

Posted by

PogueSquadron

on: 10/18/12, 20:10

PogueSquadron said:

The worst part of all of this to me is that the Turtle Beach headset is wired, not wireless....so even in games that you CAN have voice chat in, you have to plug it into the Gamepad...even if you're not using the Gamepad. I hope that's a long cord!

To be fair, the 360 did not have Party Chat at the beginning...but at the same time, couldn't Nintendo learn from that and just implement it? I mean, on a technical level, the Wii U is more than capable of it.

I don't want to come out with a lot of nerd rage on this issue, but yeah, it's pretty disappointing that the voice chat situation looks to be kind of a cluster eff so far.

The 360 launched in 2005. It's 2012.

Posted by

Oldmanwinter

on: 10/18/12, 20:14

@Oldmanwinter That's why I put that little sentence after the bit about the 360. All I'm saying is that theoretically, this is something that can be implemented post launch, so hope isn't ALL lost...even though it looks very unlikely at this point.

Posted by

PogueSquadron

on: 10/18/12, 20:19

What a nighmarish set-up.

What happens when you have a game you want to play with a Wiimote and Nunchuk and you kinda like to get up sometimes as you play? Will they sell a GamePad holder that you can strap to your belt?

The Wii U uses Bluetooth. The Wii used Bluetooth. Why the hell has Nintendo never allowed Bluetooth headsets? Would they have to pay additional royalties to someone? Even if they let a third party take care of it? It makes no sense to me.

Posted by

Guillaume

on: 10/18/12, 20:24

In any case I'd wait for this to be officially verified before getting too pissed off.

Posted by

Oldmanwinter

on: 10/18/12, 20:27

I'm actually kind of surprised that the system doesn't just feature party chat across all games - it assures that you can just chat with your friends and not have to chat with people online who are likely to be horrible and offensive.

And Nintendo's all about wireless technology... they had the Wavebird, they do wireless DS and 3DS interaction, they've never used an ethernet port for online functionality...but when it comes to a simple headset, they can't just have a wireless headset? It's like...come on.

Edit: Also...why stick to a wired headset in the first place, if the Gamepad is probably already going to be draining battery like crazy? Why not just have the headset run on its own power? It makes no sense.

Posted by

PogueSquadron

on: 10/18/12, 20:30

Edited:

10/18/12, 20:35

ive been reading the neogaf thread about this and everyone seems to be exploding over it.

lets look at it rationally, this news came from a rep of a third party game? Maybe they just dont know? First off, people assuming there would be party chat had their expectations way to high. In addition, voice chat working for certain games is the exact way ps3 handles it, NOT A BIG DEAL. Now i can see why some people need to always talk to someone, heck it is a great idea, but sometimes it is annoying. My personal tastes does not need persistent cross game chat, half of the time when i play online i dont talk to anyone unless it is a friend playing the same game.

I think it would be wise to wait for nintendo on this one. The people at neogaf are going batshit crazy over this. The system will have voicechat, but according to this 3rd party rep, it is on a game by game basis (which i figured was the case) and the headset (initial releases) have to be plugged in to the Wii U Gamepad, a fact that EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE already known when they saw the turtle beach headset specs and they said it plugs in directly through the gamepad.

Posted by

Scrawnton

on: 10/18/12, 20:50

I tend to add "at launch" to everything I read at the moment. It's the ultimate disclaimer to any baffling news, for now anyway.

Posted by

Infinitywave

on: 10/18/12, 21:04

@Infinitywave

Yeah, probably a good stance to have.

Plus, not only can it change for future games, the functionality will be patchable for launch games, no doubt.

Posted by

Guillaume

on: 10/18/12, 21:12

and ign ran the story that katoaku ran based off an email from a publisher. I dont care if this is true or not, this news story is going to snowball and nintendo said nothing about the situation.....

and here.we.go.

call me silly, but im gonna take that news with a grain of salt and just keep on keepin on.

Posted by

Scrawnton

on: 10/18/12, 21:15

Edited:

10/18/12, 21:15

So it's beginning to make sense why Nintendo is refusing to talk about Wii U's online, it's a complete shitshow.

Posted by

deathly_hallows

on: 10/18/12, 21:26