One of the big reveals from the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct this week was the announcement of a camera for the console’s new GameChat feature that’s accessible by pressing the C button. Nintendo has now further discussed GameChat in a three-part interview series, in which the company called GameChat a “defining” feature of the console and outlined the steps being taken to ensure safety when using the camera, especially for children.
Switch 2 design director Sumikazu Ono said Nintendo thought “a lot” about how to ensure GameChat is “safe and secure.” Players will not be able to use GameChat with everyone on their friend list by default.
“We assume some players will have somebody on their friend list who they’ve only played online with once, and yet somehow, they ended up accepting their friend request. Given that possibility, players might feel uncomfortable if suddenly everyone on their friend list can invite them to a video chat,” Ono said. “With that in mind, during the initial setup, you can choose the friends you want to be able to chat with from your friend list before you start using GameChat.”
If you join a room created by a friend, players will only see people you or your friend have approved from GameChat. Before joining a room, players will see if a friend of a friend is in the room–if they don’t want to join for any reason, they don’t have to.
With regard to protecting the safety of children, Ono said Nintendo had a “lot of internal discussion” on this topic–it was decided that children under 16 can only use GameChat with people on their friend list if their parent or guardian has given permission via the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app.
“In the case of voice chat, once a parent gives their child approval to chat with a particular person, their child will always be able to connect with the approved person from then on,” Ono said.
Nintendo takes an “even more cautious” approach for video chats.
“When a child tries to start or join a video chat on their Switch 2, a request is sent to the parent’s app. The request must be approved before the video chat can begin. While children may feel a bit restricted, we decided to prioritize safety and require parents to approve the request every time,” Ono said.
Is The Switch 2 Camera Spying On You?
The Nintendo Switch 2 camera has a “privacy shutter” that closes when not in use–as such, players should be able to see at a glance if the camera is on or off.
“We want everyone to feel comfortable using this feature, so we’ve placed a high priority on safety to avoid any unpleasant experiences. Of course, we want all players to follow the Community Guidelines, even when chatting with friends,” Ono said.
In 2024, the Edward Snowden leaks revealed that a British spy agency considering using Xbox 360’s Kinect camera to spy on people. Whether or not any actual snooping took place, however, is unknown.
The Switch 2 camera from Nintendo sells for $50, but the console also supports a variety of USB-C cameras from other manufacturers.
For more, be sure to check out GameSpot’s hands-on preview of the Switch 2 and our preview of Mario Kart World. GameSpot will have lots more on the Switch 2 in the days and weeks ahead.