New screen recordings seemingly show the Nintendo Switch 2’s new live subtitling and text-to-speech capabilities, marking two significant steps forward in gaming accessibility.
Nintendo’s marketing team has not confirmed the features shown, but some clips shared on the up-and-coming social platform Bluesky look promising.
One video posted shows a user navigating the console’s new GameChat feature. The player types, and once finished and submitted, the system reads it aloud.
“GameChat supports text-to-speech,” says poster @oatmealdome.bsky.social. “If enabled, you can type in text and the system will read it for you. While not explicitly confirmed, USB keyboards should be supported too (the Switch 1 already supports them for text input).”
Typing on a Switch can slow you down. If you’ve ever entered eShop codes, used the platform to share screenshots to social media, or frequently fat-thumb your login credentials like me, you know how frustrating typing on the console can be.
While there’s no Joy-Con compatible chatpad, a handy tool Microsoft’s Xbox 360 popularized, QWERTY keyboard accessibility opens doors for many.
In another video shared on the social platform, the console’s GameChat transcribes real-time speech, converting the user’s spoken word to text shown on the side of the screen.
The OG Switch also boasted USB keyboard support, but the brand has yet to confirm the Switch 2’s compatibility.
The ease of accessibility doesn’t come without a price tag, however, a strategy sure to prompt questions from fans. Nintendo has already come under fire for problematic price tags attached to consoles, peripherals, digital downloads, and physical games, but the billion-dollar brand’s decision to paywall the new console’s C-button is among the most controversial.
Nintendo Switch 2 GameChat will be free for all users from release day until March 31, 2026. After that, the feature will require a Switch Online subscription, meaning these accessibility features may end up behind the brand’s paid monthly plan, a strategy that would only compound console- and industry-wide price hikes.
The Switch 2 console will release on June 5, 2025, but here’s hoping fans find out about accessibility features before they shell out $500 or more.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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