Will Wii U support online voice chat? Until today, that was one of the many questions still outstanding as Nintendo's new console approached its launch. Many have wondered how the publisher plans to approach online play, and a big element of that is how gamers will be able to communicate with each other. The answer to voice chat, it turns out, is 'yes' - but with some very strange choices being made along the way.

Wii U will support voice chat, but not as a universal, system-based feature. Nintendo has instead opted to allow developers to include the feature on a game-by-game basis. In a strange move, however, the GamePad's built-in mic will apparently not be the default source for voice chat.The publisher revealed that gamers will likely have to turn to third-party options to find headsets with built-in mics, and then plug those accessories into the Pad itself. Here is the company's statement:

"Wii U will have in-game chat functionality for select games, including, but not limited to, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Assassin’s Creed III and Mass Effect 3. This feature will be supported by licensed stereo headsets that plug directly into the headphone port of the Game Pad.  Licensed headsets are available from Turtle Beach and TRITTON."

Things get more confusing from here. Though the GamePad has a plug to support headsets, the Pro controller does not. That immediately cuts off the option of plugging in a headset for voice chat. It appears gamers wishing to use voice chat with the Pro controller will need to plug their third party hardware into the GamePad while playing a game supporting the voice feature.

There are still some outstanding questions about Wii U's communication capabilities, however. In its various E3 2012 briefings, Nintendo did reveal video chat functionality, which uses the GamePad's mic to communicate. Though this seemed to be implemented through Miiverse in a fashion that paused a game, it doesn't seem to be out of the realm of possibility to allow the GamePad to directly support voice chat, or video chat, during play, though how that might impact the system's performance is anyone's guess. Likewise, while Wii U currently has no announced wireless headsets, future hardware support from third parties might greatly alleviate this convoluted situation. Nintendo had not announced any official headset accessories.

We'll keep you posted of any developments in this strange scenario. Long story short - it seems as though core gamers are going to have a couple extra steps to get their voice chat working if they opt to use the more familiar Pro controller.

Source

I would have thought, given how Nintendo seemed to be pushing social interactions with this console, that voice chat would have been system based from the get-go, like with the 360...

with 1 Gb reserved it seems odd they aren't doing cross game chat. surely nintendo has seen the critiques against sony over the last 6 years.

Doesn't bother me honestly, I didn't even miss voice chat on the Wii. Online is low on my list of priorities when it comes to gaming, give me quality single player and local multiplayer experiences any day.

I'm pretty pro-Nintendo, but I am baffled by how they think, sometimes--this being one of those times. With a gig reserved to the OS, the fact that they don't have full-blown cross-game chat is disappointing and ridiculous.

doesnt impact me, but agree bad decision at least on the part of not being able to connect your headphone and mic to the pro controller.

As hardcore Nintendo fan I will say this is weird and stupid. Why have a mic on the GamePad if you're not going to implement in all possible ways? and don't tell me it's just to blow on the mic to solve gimmicky puzzles -.-'

I really don't get Nintendo sometimes =/

Who on earth thought any of that was a good idea

Strange decision. I would have thought this stuff would have been base level for next gen gaming. Still, it's not like a horrible development, the majority of gamers will likely be fine with it. It's just ... perplexing.

You should change the beginning of the op (like eliminate it).  Others might even report it. Just trying to give you a heads up...

I am not sure why the gamepad mic wouldn't be the default mic for the system. Anyways, there are only a few games that a mic is really needed. I would like a mic for Animal Crossing. Not too big of a FPS fan anymore but they always have to have their mics.

Overall it doesn't bother me; I could careless about voice chat with random people.
But... the ending part is really... awkward. Someone must have been high when they came to a conclusion on how to do this. (The optional addition of voice chat is a fine idea, though.)