Wii U voice chat: Only 'select games' supported, no official headset planned

[Ghost-Rhayne]

Here's how online communication will work on Nintendo's new console

Only "select games" will support voice chat on Wii U, Nintendo has confirmed.

They include Assassin's Creed 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Mass Effect 3, the platform holder told Kotaku. There will be no official Wii U headset, so users wanting to chat online will need to pick up an officially licensed Turtle Beach or Mad Catz one which can then be plugged into the GamePad (they're all wired at the moment, too). The built-in GamePad microphone and speaker won't support voice chat.


Meanwhile the Xbox 360-like Wii U Pro Controller, which can be used to play Black Ops 2, doesn't even feature a port to connect a headset, meaning you'll have to have your GamePad close to hand if you want to chat while using the Pro Controller.


In its summary, Kotaku offered the following information about Wii U voice chat:

• No universal support for in-game voice chat
• Game-by-game support for in-game chat
• The GamePad mic will not, by default, work as an input for in-game voice chat
• The Wii U will support wired headsets (and possibly mic-enabled headphones), but only through the Wii U GamePad
• No news yet about whether wireless headsets can or will be supported

Man...and people are calling this next gen?

[DeviousOne]

Yes it was released after the last generation Nintendo Console therefore being next gen lmao

[Nitey]

Meanwhile the Xbox 360-like Wii U Pro Controller, which can be used to play Black Ops 2, doesn't even feature a port to connect a headset, meaning you'll have to have your GamePad close to hand if you want to chat while using the Pro Controller.

What.

I'm going to assume the console itself supports usb/bluetooth headsets like the PS3 then. If not...wow

[unicron7]

Pretty much what I expected. Nintendo releasing stuff that's about a generation behind the competition and expecting people to buy it. No thank you. Glad I didn't buy the Wii and really glad I won't be buying this thing.

[Vulgotha]

Unicron summed it up perfectly. What a uselessly backwards device.

[ash91]

I'm going to assume the console itself supports usb/bluetooth headsets like the PS3 then. If not...wow

Nope. It says the only headsets so far will be the ones that connect to the Wii U controller.

[DarkVincent07]

The console does look cool... but it looks like they are making the same mistake they did with the Wii and 3DS in terms of online... sounds really dud unfortunately

[Vulgotha]

Nope. It says the only headsets so far will be the ones that connect to the Wii U controller.

[Nitey]

Was hovering around on Gaf, and apparently the console also does not include an Ethernet port.

I think the above gif applies once again

=/

[keefy]

Game-by-game support for in-game chat

Isnt that how most games work? otherwise it would be like BF3 is on PC and have to add people to friends list to chat with them.

[ash91]

Was hovering around on Gaf, and apparently the console also does not include an Ethernet port.

I think the above gif applies once again

=/

The Wii doesn't have an Ethernet port either.

[Nitey]

I know, it's ridiculous.

[keefy]

Thats got to be bullshit, surely.

[Vulgotha]

[mynd]

I got a new name for it....

ScrewU.

Buy it, get screwed over.

[ash91]

I can't see this being any different to the Wii, except it won't sell as much.

Parents will buy it, it'll get played from Xmas day up until early January and then never get touched again.

However, I can't see all the casuals that bought the Wii getting this as well. My sister bought the Wii and I really can't see her buying this. The Wii has sat in a cupboard for 4 years now, what will make this different?