A few technology and gaming publications have had a test of the new Nintendo Switch Online app that’s currently available to download via the App Store and Google Play. Ars Technica is one of these publications and unfortunately they haven’t come away impressed. Ars says that the application works in the foreground and not the background meaning that you can’t do anything else on your phone while using the voice chat feature like swiping down to check your notifications and messages. If you do, so you’ll be disconnected from the chat, which admittedly sounds like a pain. Here’s a few choice quotes from their write-up of the application:
- Voice chat cannot run in the background while using your phone for other purposes such as “texts, social media, etc
- What’s more, early testing confirms that the app won’t work if your phone goes into power-saving “sleep mode,” with the screen inactive. And don’t bother trying to use the app to chat with your Switch friends while away from the system, either: you can only join chat rooms with people when you’re actively playing a specific, supported game with them.
- Everything from Skype to Discord to the built-in phone app on your smartphone lets you continue talking to others while doing other things with the phone. For Nintendo to require its app to run in the foreground when other apps prove it’s not necessary is just strange.
How pointless. I feel like they wasted their time/money on this when it could’ve been used for something far better.
Hold on people, the Voice Chat through an app was doomed from the start, but I still feel the Official Nintendo Switch App could still have promise, hopefully they add an eShop feature to buy and pre-install games from your phone
Pretty sure that should be given considering their site and various stores give you download options and codes.
That’s why I don’t want to hate the app because it could be very useful for those with a smartphone. Now if they would just give us the option of voice chat & stuff on the system itself & all my issues with the damn thing will be gone.
Nintendo should take the incoming feedback very seriously because this is just unacceptable. If discord and skype can work in the background then there should absolutely no reason why this shouldn’t.
Lmao wow wt a joke. Stupid idea with even worse implementation
Their answer to voice chat was shit enough to begin with, but they could’ve at least tried to make the app passable.
They better saddle up and get some big updates out quickly or this is going to be detrimental to their online strategy.
Anything detrimental to their current online strategy is a good thing, in my opinion. Their current online strategy is awful, and their giving up one of their only major advantages over competitors with virtually no gain for the consumer.
Worst of all, they’re probably gonna pull either the “player security” or the “piracy prevention” excuse in response to this. Even when neither of those things seem connected to this issue, Nintendo somehow finds a way.
Get ready for “boos” across the board, Ninty.
This app is pointless. The messenger app is literally everything you need because me and my buds used it for every game on switch so far no problem. They need to implament a true partychat system in order to please anyone. Take notes from xbox360 party chat.
Really dumb ^^^ Everything has pretty much been said. No excuses, this is gross mismanagement
How come Nintendo just didn’t work out a partnership for Discord to be their online communication’s service if they were going the app route? Something tells me that DeNA was behind this app idea since they are a telecommunications service. I love Nintendo but wow……..this is just beyond terrible and totally unacceptable
I never thought I’d see the day you’d say something bad about Nintendo.
Bravo.
Nintendo you want me to pay me 20$ ln 2018? Then Fix that fucking thing!!!
Pokemon Go didn’t start with almost the same problems??
Trolling or you like this?
I hate the stupid app, so it failing already is a good thing for me as I mostly want it to fail, so Nintendo will actually give us voice chat where it belongs: on the bloody system.
Maybe the voice chat is going to be inside on a new Nintendo hardware.
And? That’s the future, not now. It being better on the next system does nothing for me right now with my Switch.
In my opinion. I think Nintendo is doing some exsperiment by launching these sort of apps. Maybe it’s too early to say this app is sh*t. I want to give a try.
You should never criticize something before it’s actually released, before you actually try it. That’s what I said when they first announced voice chat through an app. I still stand by this, but I think it’s now safe to offer criticism in this regard. No multitasking? No game audio? Not huge deals to me but I can understand the backlash.
Of course you can’t do something else, because if you play online, you have to focus on the match, not doing other things.
That one guy ladies and gentlemen… When functionality is missing, say it’s purposeful.
Ok maybe it’s not the best way for doing voice chat but maybe Nintendo was focused on let the Switch work well. That’s why they decide to do this app. Who knows if we will have a new Switch with the voice chat integrated.
Seriously? Chat has existed since the 90’s on hardware. It’s no hindrance on a system nearly 3 decades later.
I don’t remeber voice chat app in the 90’s hardwares. If there was already the voice chat app then why consoles didn’t have it?
2000 voice chat began.
In fact in the 2000 started the voice chat but I don’t really remember in the 90s
Correction 2000, so 2 decades
It’s going to destroy everyone’s cell phone batteries, having it run in the foreground with the screen on.
Now everyone needs a battery brick for the switch, and one for their phone, or one really big one with 2 ports.
Again, I don’t understand how the switch is so successful. I’m truly mystified.
People addicted to portable gaming is why.
I guess I understand that, but I’m also addicted to portable gaming, and I’ve resisted so far!
Ok this is also true that the app kill the battery. I have to try with the safe battery mode and I want to see how much battery can take out the app.
Good experiment!
It was a crap idea to begin with.
Now we just have to hope & wait for Nintendo to realize it.
Welp, I’m back after getting my comp fixed.
And here’s hoping they get these issues fixed. Until then, I’ll stick with discord (not that I have Splatoon anyways. Saving up cash for the college year.)