Nintendo confirms users will have to pay to press the C button

Nintendo has developed its own chat application similar to Discord for the Switch 2. After the free access period ends on March 31, 2026, using GameChat and its C button will require a Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) membership.

GameChat will require a Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) membership after its free trial ends

The button on the Joy-Cons would be functionally useless, unless you're willing to pay for a subscription. If you press the C button without being a subscriber, not much happens, as explained by Bill Trinen, the vice president of player and product experience. “You would be able to find out about the NSO subscription there and get a sense of some of the functionality,” he stated.

This suggests that users will discover that GameChat functions similarly to Discord's video chat on PC, allowing friends to communicate in handheld or docked mode using a built-in microphone and stream gameplay to one another. There’s even an optional camera for video chatting or overlaying on streams.

However, if you do not have an active NSO membership, the C button on your Switch 2 will essentially be useless. It seems you won’t have the option to remap it, turning it into a constant reminder of the annual $19.99 fee you might end up paying to Nintendo.

According to Trinen, the C button carries a cost because GameChat is considered an integral part of the overall platform experience, with NSO being essential to the Nintendo Switch 2 ecosystem. He mentioned some exclusive benefits for Switch 2 subscribers, such as access to classic GameCube titles and free upgrades for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

This subscription fee will be in addition to the console's price, which is expected to start at $449.99, and could potentially increase depending on U.S. President Trump’s tariffs. We’ll have to wait until the Switch 2 launches in June to determine if GameChat is worth the investment.