Splatoon 2’s official Twitter page made two posts today explaining how their new chat function will work with confusing but adorable squid art.
『スプラトゥーン2』は、Nintendo Switchのスマートフォン向け「オンラインロビー＆ボイスチャット」アプリに対応する。
このアプリはゲームと連動しており、フレンドやSNSで招待した仲間と待ち合わせて、そのままゲームでマッチングし、ボイスチャットもできる仕組みだ。 pic.twitter.com/mfpEIpAo1t— Splatoon（スプラトゥーン） (@SplatoonJP) February 1, 2017
The original posts are obviously in Japanese but the translations essentially say that Splatoon 2’s online lobby will work via Nintendo’s smartphone app. The posts also say that the player will be able to invite friends via social media and will be able to chat with all players in the game before splitting up into teams. Once the game has started, the player will only be able to chat with other members of their team so strangers won’t be able to contact the player.
On one hand, this is good news for Splatoon 2 as the first game didn’t have voice chat at all. Younger players also won’t be verbally harassed online and inviting friends via social media means that players won’t have to wait for friends to log into their Nintendo accounts. Instead, the player can send a message on Facebook or Twitter to start a game.
On the other hand, Nintendo’s new app-controlled chat has been met with raised eyebrows and mixed feelings. In context with the Nintendo Switch, the smartphone app makes sense because if the player is on the road, they will be able to create a lobby without lugging around a headset and use something that they always have on them instead. Outside of those instances, it begs the question as to why the player can’t just contact their friends using their phone without the app?
On top of everything, neither Splatoon 2 nor Nintendo have revealed how exactly the player will be able to hear both the game and their teammates.
Aside from the questions still lingering, the social media function does sound great and here’s hoping that Splatoon 2 will meet expectations on both gameplay and chat functions.
Splatoon 2 will be released in 2017 for the Nintendo Switch.
