Summary

  • The C Button on the Nintendo Switch 2 controls the console's Game Chat feature, allowing for screen sharing and chatting while gaming.
  • Players will receive early access to Game Chat from the Switch 2's launch until March 2026 without needing a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
  • The new Pro Controller for the Nintendo Switch 2 also includes new GL and GR buttons for added customization, as well as an audio jack.

The purpose of the enigmatic Nintendo Switch 2 C Button has finally been revealed during a Nintendo Direct livestream centered around the upcoming console. The C Button will launch the Game Chat features for the Nintendo Switch 2, providing players with a new way to communicate with friends while enjoying Nintendo games.

Since its announcement, fans have been excited about the Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, which promised to reveal system hardware specs and some upcoming software that will be available on the new system. There was plenty of intriguing information revealed at the showcase, but the mystery surrounding the C Button has been among the most speculated in the gaming community in the lead-up to its official confirmation.

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Relatively early on in the presentation, an explanation of some of the new hardware features confirmed the purpose of the Nintendo Switch 2 C Button and its connection to Game Chat. Paired with a microphone, which comes attached to both the console itself and the Pro Controller, the new communication feature will allow players to share their screens with one another in smaller onscreen windows, allowing for simultaneous gaming and chatting with friends. Game Chat will work regardless of whether players have the Switch 2 resting in its dock or are using it in handheld mode, and players do not have to be playing the same game in order for it to work.

Nintendo Switch 2 C Button Controls Game Chat Feature

Players will eventually need a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online to use the Game Chat feature. However, from the time of the console's launch on June 5, 2025, through the end of March 2026, players will be able to use Game Chat without a membership, giving them an early taste of the new chat feature absolutely free of charge.

The C Button isn't the only new addition to the Pro Controller for the Nintendo Switch 2, which was also confirmed during the showcase. The new GL and GR buttons added to the controller will allow additional customization, allowing players to assign existing button controls to the new buttons on the back on the controller and letting players assign different actions to more than just their thumbs. The controller also supports an audio jack at the bottom. These are in addition to the many new features of the Joy Cons, which include innovative mouse-like controls. No price for the upcoming system was announced during the showcase, but this highly sought-after information will likely be officially confirmed soon.

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Nintendo Switch 2 Tag Page Cover Art
Nintendo Switch 2
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Brand
Nintendo
Operating System
Proprietary
Storage
256GB internal / MicroSD
Resolution
1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
App Store
Nintendo eShop
Wi-Fi
Yes
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Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info