Less than a week after we learned from Nintendo that in-game voice chat won’t be possible with the GamePad’s built-in microphone, the developer for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (SUMO DIGITAL) has confirmed that players will not be able to use voice chat while playing on the Wii U.
Voice chat functionality is, unfortunately, not currently integrated into the Wii U’s system, leaving the ability to use voice chat up to the developer, who needs to implement it in a game if they want it as a feature—while also considering that players will need to purchase a third-party headset in order to be able to use this feature.
Sonic & All-Stars’ executive producer Steve Lycett confirmed that it’s really the Wii U’s limitations that have brought about the lack of voice support:
“We don’t support voice chat on Wii U for those reasons, one of the side effects of being a launch title basically. Does support it on PS3 and 360 though!”
And while it’s not available right now, it’s entirely possible that voice chat could be added through patching at a later date… and that said, we know of several titles that have chosen to add in the voice feature, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Mass Effect 3: Wii U Edition.
