If you’ve looked over your Nintendo Switch 2 and spotted a tiny hole in the upper right corner, don’t fret: that’s where the built-in microphone is located, making it possible to chat with friends — one of several things you can do with the Switch 2. While most headphones also come with the same feature, Nintendo added it directly to the console to make voice chat easier for players who want to talk with friends right away and without needing any extra hardware.
This built-in microphone was added to the Nintendo Switch 2 to solve one of the biggest complaints that many players had with the original Switch: the lack of native communication. Unlike other major consoles, such as Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, the first Switch didn’t offer any kind of way to talk with friends. That’s why the Switch 2 also comes with GameChat alongside the built-in microphone.
The Switch 2’s built-in microphone enables headset-free chat
Anyone who used the original Nintendo Switch remembers how the lack of native voice communication between players hindered the potential of many games. To play something like “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” with voice chat, players were forced to rely on the clunky Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app. Because the official solution was so impractical, having famously required the phone screen to stay on at all times when the app first launched, many players simply resorted to using external voice chat tools.
Now, on the Nintendo Switch 2, the experience feels a little more plug-and-play because GameChat exists natively on the console. You don’t need much effort to talk to your friends while you play something like “Splatoon 3” together: just press the C button on the right Joy-Con to start the call, which supports up to 12 people. You can still use your own microphone, but you no longer need one.
Even though it does not offer quality similar to an external microphone, Nintendo’s built-in solution performs very well. It automatically adjusts voice pickup to prevent settings from ruining your experience based on how you play, whether in handheld mode, tabletop mode, or TV mode, and it filters unwanted noise. It can even pick up the player’s voice from a considerable distance from the console, such as when you play on a TV. In handheld mode, its position on the top of the console helps you avoid covering it with your hands while you play.
GameChat does more than just voice chat
Nintendo GameChat has other functions beyond just talking with friends using the built-in microphone. For example, you can plug a webcam — one of the coolest Switch 2 accessories — into the USB-C port on the top of the Nintendo Switch 2 to make video calls with friends. Games such as “Mario Party Jamboree” also support extra features when the camera is connected to the console.
In addition, GameChat also lets users share their own screen with friends during gameplay even if they aren’t playing the same title, as voice and video calls are not limited only to people who are playing the same thing. Another nice GameChat feature is the GameShare function, which lets one user share a supported game with up to four other people while they play online.
For a few months after the console launched, GameChat and all of its functions were free for Nintendo Switch 2 players. However, starting in April 2026, the free trial period ended, and to access these functions, users need a subscription to Nintendo’s online services.
