'Splatoon 2' Multiplayer: Players won't be able to voice-chat with strangers

Splatoon 2 is coming to Nintendo Switch on July 21, though fans have gotten a taste of what's to come already with several previous global testfire beta sessions back in March. The game will feature multiplayer support like the last game, of course, but it seems communication with other players will be a bit different this time around, according to GoNintendo, especially when it comes to playing multiplayer games with people you don't know.

Splatoon 2 Multiplayer: Changes to voice-chat

According to game director Yusuke Amano and producer Hisashi Nogami in an interview in GamesTM, voice chat will be relegated to players who are in matches with people they know:

"The reason we included voice chat is because we wanted users who already know each other to enjoy the game more deeply using a communication tool that's linked to the game." 

This is an interesting turn of events but not exactly an unexpected one, especially since Nintendo as a company usually seems to be focused on everyone having a good time, especially if it's family friendly. 

With players that can antagonize others online with the veil of anonymity protecting them from their transgressions, they can say anything they want without worrying about the repercussions. Still, if you do want to play with strangers and communicate with them, this might be an issue going forward. 

The interview also mentioned that several items you unlock in Splatoon 2's Multiplayer mode can also be used in Hero mode, with better integration of unlocks from other modes like Hero, Battle and Salmon Run into the various multiplayer offerings. 

Check out more Splatoon 2 news and coverage

Read more of our Splatoon news and coverage, including our impressions of the open beta back in March and at the Nintendo Switch event in January. Find out everything we learned about the game back in January. If you're looking for more information about the April 2017 Nintendo Direct, check out the proceedings here. Or if you want to check out general Nintendo Switch news see reports of screen defects in the Switch and what you can expect if you're trying to buy one.