There's a huge problem with voice chat and the Nintendo Switch Online app
Here's a fun fact about that new Nintendo Switch Online app: Voice chat is as awful as we'd feared.
Most of you probably saw nonsense like this coming as soon as Nintendo confirmed that Switch online services would be relegated to an Android or iOS app. But now, the app is here and -- while limited -- it works with Splatoon 2. That means we can test it.
Mashable's own Kellen Beck fired up his copy of the game and created an online lobby there. Then -- switching over to his phone -- he used the app to invite me. I, on my phone, accepted the invite, then, in the game, trundled over to the section of Splatoon 2 where you can join online lobbies.
Voice chat kicked in as soon as I joined. It sounded fine. Kellen and I sit next to each other, so I heard a little bit of myself, but the audio quality is decent and does an OK job of filtering out ambient noise.
Satisfied that things were working, I tapped the power button on my Android phone to conserve juice while we played a private match. And that's when voice chat cut out.
The moment my screen turned off, my ability to participate in voice chat went away.
I turned my phone screen back on and unlocked it, which deposited me right back in the Switch Online app. Voice chat returned. Kellen tried the same steps with his iOS phone; same problem. If your phone is locked, your voice chat goes away.
Think about that for a moment. You've already got the Switch, which has a battery to charge if you're playing on the go. Tethering voice chat and other online services to your phone means you've also got that battery to worry about. Now, we've learned that you have to actually leave the phone unlocked -- which could mean turning off your auto-sleep settings -- for voice chat, creating an even greater battery drain.
This is dumb. This whole setup is so very, very dumb. Juggling two different devices for basic online services is enough of a headache; sacrificing that much more of your battery to the Nintendo gods just to talk to your friends online while you're playing a video game... this is fundamentally bad design.
If you're looking for a sliver of hope, here it is: full functionality won't be coming to the app until Friday, July 21. That may or may not fix this issue.
There's really only one point of feedback that matters here: Nintendo needs to come up with something better for Switch online services. What a terrible setup.
Topics Esports Gaming Nintendo Nintendo Switch
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
