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Announced in the last Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, GameChat is a new feature coming to the upcoming console that allows players to video chat with each other while playing games.
Similar to Discord, the Nintendo-friendly party service allows players to connect a USB-C webcam to their console to video call anyone across the world. (Please don’t buy the terrible Piranha Plant camera.) As a potentially dangerous feature for some, Nintendo is locking the service behind a phone number for each Nintendo Account.
Nintendo Switch 2 GameChat phone number requirement
In the terms and agreements for the upcoming social feature, Nintendo revealed that every user must have a unique phone number attached to their Nintendo Account to make use of the service.
“Mobile phone number registration required for GameChat,” reads the terms and agreements. “Children must get approval from a parent or guardian via the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app to use GameChat”.
The requirement of a phone number is likely an extra security method to protect children online. If someone does decide to use the GameChat feature on Nintendo Switch 2 for nefarious purposes, Nintendo can not only block the account but also the phone number, making it harder for online wrongdoers to create a second account.
Alongside the use of phone numbers, Nintendo Switch 2 also keeps a recorded buffer of three minutes of audio and video to send to Nintendo if a player is reported. If a player is reported, Nintendo will review the three-minute clip for anything that breaches the terms of service to dish out an account ban.
Nintendo’s security methods are very similar to other console platforms, but it’s also necessary. As a platform primarily catering to younger gamers, it’s paramount to ensure that any online interactions are safe for those players.
For more coverage of the new Nintendo console, read about how a new Samsung partnership is aiming to produce 20 million units of the new machine by March 2026. Additionally, check out how Cyberpunk 2077 uses DLSS in both handheld and docked modes.
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