Over the years I’ve “collected” (without realizing) what would seemingly be more (cheap) gaming headsets and mics than any one person should. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find my original Xbox headsets (remember the big black mute button?), despite assistance from my sweetheart of a cat (she’ll lay on anything that looks uncomfortable).
After reading a recent Steemit post by 
Maybe I’m biased by nostalgia, but we seemed to communicate “more” during the early days of console gaming. Maybe it was the novelty of console voice chat, but it was rare to enter a game where the majority of the players weren’t plugged in and chatting until early morning light. I met so many great people from all walks of life using console voice chat.
Communication with teammates is essential and rewarding in an online match, but talking with the enemy via proximity chat (ability to talk with nearby players)… now that’s an experience.
I’m an enormous Halo fan. Admittingly, I initially (and briefly) rejected “Halo: Combat Evolved” based on the cover art (I know, I know… never judge a book, or space faring super soldier, by its armor). However, after completing the campaign countess times cooperatively with friends, and hosting/participating in LANs and local tournaments, I was dying for online competition. This yearning was briefly satiated by “Xbox Connect”. A pseudo-Xbox-Live that fooled your system into believing it was part of a “global LAN”. It worked pretty well for the time, but it was not without its shortcomings.
Enter Halo 2.
My favorite Halo game. We could finally destroy each other using all of Halo’s glorious arsenal (Energy Sword on Lockout Doubles!) using the power of the almighty internet and Xbox Live. Halo 2 also featured a ranked matchmaking system, ensuring you were normally paired with like-skilled players and for whatever reason… we were all vocal. So. Very. Vocal. Not just in party chat with friends, but with complete internet strangers.
I can’t count the number of 1v1 challenges that were initiated by taunting each other via proximity chat during assassinations (meleeing your opponent in the back for an insta-kill). The best time could be had hearing your opponent’s frustration after outwitting them in a situation where they were sure they would triumph (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! LUCKY NO-SCOPE!!). I’d be remiss though, if I didn’t admit to my share of meltdowns. All in all I absolutely love proximity voice chat and I commend any game for including it (PUBG anyone?).
Other games of the time also took advantage of proximity chat. In “Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow” multiplayer, spies could sneak up and choke an unsuspecting mercenary, at which time you could communicate with one another via voice chat. I’m still seething from some of those interactions.
Don’t get me wrong, voice chat is still a huge part of online gaming, but it seems to me that we tend to stick to party chat nowadays, rather than exposing ourselves to the onslaught of random internet denizens. I am showing my age a bit, but I recently returned to PC gaming, asking my buddies for their Ventrilo or TeamSpeak info… which of course was met by thunderous laughter (Discord man c’mon!).
As fun as trash talking and proximity chat can be, cooperation is the true reason for voice chat. There’s something magical about joining forces with a friend or complete stranger, communicating effectively, and destroying your common foe.
Maybe it’s a sign of modern times, I don’t know… but please, if you make games, it won’t hurt to try and force us to communicate. It’s good fun and there’s always the mute button for those ear-splitting individuals with unlimited lung capacity.
And always keep in mind that player toxicity is never good in online games, so mind your manners (like Pearl Jam) and please be civil. We’re all here to have a good time.
Hope you enjoyed! What are your thoughts? Comment and post your stories of online voice chat interactions!