Setting up GameChat on the Nintendo Switch 2 is a straightforward process, but it comes with a crucial requirement: you'll need to verify your identity with a phone number. This feature, which is integrated into every Nintendo Switch 2 console, is highlighted as a major selling point of the new system. To get started with GameChat, you must provide Nintendo with a phone number. If you've already linked a number to your Nintendo Account, you can use that one. Once you submit your number, Nintendo will send a verification text message, linking your GameChat activities to that phone number. So, it's important to use GameChat responsibly!
For users under the age of 16, GameChat will initially be blocked. A parent or guardian must enable this feature through the Parental Controls smart device app, and they'll need to provide their own phone number for verification via text message. According to information found on Nintendo's website, as reported by Eurogamer, it appears that every user with a Nintendo Account will need to go through this verification process on the Switch 2, even if the console is shared. IGN has reached out to Nintendo for further confirmation on this policy.
Accessing GameChat on the Switch 2 is easy—just press the new 'C' button on the console's controllers. This allows up to four players to engage in video chats, or up to 24 to join a group audio call. Within a video call, players can use a separately sold camera peripheral to broadcast themselves and stream their gameplay. This marks Nintendo's first foray into this type of service, positioning it to catch up with other console manufacturers in terms of online features.
Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery
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Last week, Digital Foundry unveiled the final specifications for the Nintendo Switch 2, noting that GameChat has a "significant impact" on the system's resources. This has raised concerns among developers. Nintendo offers a GameChat testing tool that simulates API latency and L3 cache misses, allowing developers to test the system's performance without needing live GameChat sessions. This raises questions about whether GameChat affects game performance, though if its resources are properly allocated within the system, it should not make a difference. However, the availability of emulation tools suggests there might be some impact that developers need to account for. As Digital Foundry stated, "We'll be interested to see how GameChat may (or may not) impact game performance as this does seem to be an area of developer concern." We'll have a clearer picture when the Switch 2 launches on June 5.
It's worth noting that GameChat will be free to use for the first 10 months after the Switch 2's release. After March 31, 2026, a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be required to continue using GameChat.
Earlier this week, we got our first look at a Switch 2 game cartridge and heard rumors that Samsung is interested in providing OLED screens for a potential Switch 2 upgrade.
