Splatoon Dropped Voice Chat Over Toxicity Concerns
Game's co-director says that it will never have voice chat because of rampant negativity in online games.
Call of Duty: Game Pass' Savior? | Spot On EA Sports College Football 25 | Official Gameplay Features Deep Dive Trailer Wuthering Waves - Overleveled Boss Challenge HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×IMPACT - Netero Official Character Gameplay Trailer (Japanese) Killing Floor 3 - Clot Enemy Reveal Trailer HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×IMPACT - Leorio Official Character Gameplay Trailer (Japanese) Resident Evil 4 Adds Mercenaries and Microtransactions | GameSpot News Fallout: New Vegas 2 Rumors Explained | GameSpot April Xbox Game Pass Games Revealed | GameSpot News Over 15 Free Games To Claim In April | GameSpot News New Witcher Game Plans Have Changed | GameSpot News Elden Ring Death Count Revealed | GameSpot News
Please enter your date of birth to view this video
By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
In an interview with UK gaming magazine Edge, Splatoon's co-director Yusuke Amano said that his game doesn't have voice chat now, and never will. That's thanks, in part, to the somewhat notorious reputation online players tend to have.
"This is coming from personal experience," Amano said. "When I played online games, I didn't like the negativity I got and people telling me, 'You're crap. Go away.' So we wanted to focus on the positive aspects of online gaming."
Having the ability to chat with other players in shooters, particularly to plan routes of attack, or coordinate movement is one of the genre's oldest features. And Amano admitted that he thought this might be seen as limiting to some. To him and the rest of the people on the team, having a safe, clean environment in which to play is worth it.
This falls in line with Nintendo's typical stance on voice communication in online games. Historically, only a handful of their first-party games have shipped with the feature, namely Pokemon Diamond and Pearl as well as Metroid Prime: Hunters for the Nintendo DS. Some recent Nintendo games like Mario Kart 8 and Pokemon X and Y, include voice chat, but only under very limited circumstances.
Splatoon is set to release for Wii U on May 29. For more coverage on Nintendo's unusual shooter, check out our preview.
The full interview with Amano is available in the latest issue of Edge Magazine, available in stores and online now.
Call of Duty: Game Pass' Savior? | Spot On EA Sports College Football 25 | Official Gameplay Features Deep Dive Trailer Wuthering Waves - Overleveled Boss Challenge HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×IMPACT - Netero Official Character Gameplay Trailer (Japanese) Killing Floor 3 - Clot Enemy Reveal Trailer HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×IMPACT - Leorio Official Character Gameplay Trailer (Japanese) HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×IMPACT - Kurapika Official Character Gameplay Trailer (Japanese) Silent Hill 2 Remake Extended Gameplay Showcase | Silent Hill Transmission May 2024 PlayStation State Of Play Full Showcase | May 2024 Astro Bot Gameplay Trailer | PlayStation State of Play May 2024 Monster Hunter Wilds Gameplay Trailer | PlayStation State of Play May 2024 Silent Hill 2 Remake Gameplay Trailer | PlayStation State of Play May 2024
Please enter your date of birth to view this video
By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com
Join the conversation