"Splatoon" is the newest upcoming online shooter from Nintendo, but with a twist. Instead of players having guns blazing as they try to shoot opponents, Wii U players will have to spray each other with ink, which would turn them to squid-like creatures when fully drenched. Another thing that would set "Splatoon" apart from others is, it will not have an online voice chat feature.
In online shooting games, voice chat is a must for flawless teamwork for gamers, especially in frenzied action team-based game modes like those seen on "Battlefield: Hardline," "Halo," and other titles. However, the excitement and conversations have a tendency to go overboard, and the excessive taunts and sometimes profane language overheard on voice chat circuits are unwarranted in Nintendo's mostly-kids targeted market base.
In the most recent Edge Magazine issue, Nintendo Everything summarizes that the game's co-director Yusuke Amano is a fan of online shooter games, but gets wary of negative comments that can usually be heard over voice chats in an adrenaline-pumped, shooting game environment.
Edge Magazine quotes Amano as saying, "When I played online games, I didn't like the negativity I got and people telling me, 'You're crap. Go away.'"
This prompted the creators of "Splatoon" to do away with voice chats for their online shooting game. Also, Amano is insistent that the game stay that way and that there would be no voice chat feature to be added in the future.
He said, "So we wanted to focus on the positive aspects of online gaming. I don't want you to misunderstand — I'm not denying having chat in an online game does contribute to fun. But, as we've said, we want to grab new people."
The upcoming game "Splatoon" is a Wii U-exclusive and will launch on May 29.
