Nintendo brings GameChat live chatting to the Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch 2 has a new way of playing together, but virtually.

On Wednesday, Nintendo announced GameChat, a way for multiple users to chat with each other within the game. And it also answered the question of the mysterious button on the Joy-Con. A dedicated "C" button built directly within the controller enables the live chatting function, and there's a built-in microphone within the controller that picks up audio and even has some isolation capabilities to filter out external noise. There's also a camera accessory so you can GameChat with live video feeds.

The obvious goal for GameChat is to recreate the in-person experience online. There are additional features like switching between camera feed and the game feed, taking pictures together within the game, and expanding individual screens. Users can also play different games within the same GameChat, and broadcast their individual gameplay, giving it a Discord-like experience.

GameChat will require premium Nintendo Switch Online subscription, but there's also a free trial for you to test out. The Nintendo Switch 2 arrives on June 5, so you won't have to wait long to get your hands on it.