Chat Will Require Your Phone
Nintendo is finally taking the online side of gaming seriously, and will offer a paid subscription service (though it will be free at launch and not become premium until later in 2017). The service will allow for online multiplayer, sales, free access to a monthly game, and an Online Lobby & Voice Chat app. That app, by the way, will not be on the console, but on your own smart device (whether it be a phone or tablet).
Basically, you’ll be paying to use your phone to talk to your friends and other people you play with, something you can already do with your phone — because it’s a phone.
While the price for the service hasn’t been locked in, it’s an odd decision, and there’s been no great reason for why the app can’t be placed on the portable Switch, which happens to include an audio jack perfect for a small headset. This is especially troubling for those who perhaps don’t have a smart device but like to chat in games.
