Wii U Voice Chat and Microphones

Hello everyone, I am making this thread to get the truth about how voice chat works on the Wii U and what headsets/microphones and games are compatible. 

I have searched the internet and basically all I can find are older articles from 2012 speculating about how voice chat works and the nintendo manual also has a lack of information in this department.

I want to try to keep the flaming of the Wii U and its capabilities to a minimum and would love to just have the facts.

So here is what I gather.  If you want to use voice chat, you have to plug in a compatible microphone or headset into the gamepad.  The mic on the gamepad itself is not used for voice chat (which is ok considering you would hear the buttons anyway).  So you have to plug in an acceptable third party headset from either Turtle Beach or Mad Catz.

I've heard, however, that some additional microphones/headsets also work if it has the correct 3.5mm input.  Is this correct?  It would be great not to have to buy anything new just to chat. Does any microphone with the 3.5mm input work if being plugged into the gamepad or does it have to have both sound and microphone going through the same input? (ie, both a green and red input wouldnt work).  I also take it that if your headset is only USB that wont work either considering there isn't a USB slot on the gamepad?

Any valuable information on this subject would be much appreciated.  Thanks

You do not have to use a specific third party Wii U microphone. Any headset (i.e. ones that come with many smartphones) will work on the Wii U GamePad. I am not 100% about this, but I think for certain games (like Assassin's Creed III) you can use the GamePad's microphone to chat online.

You do not have to use a specific third party Wii U microphone. Any headset (i.e. ones that come with many smartphones) will work on the Wii U GamePad. I am not 100% about this, but I think for certain games (like Assassin's Creed III) you can use the GamePad's microphone to chat online.

Haziqonfire

You said any headset will work on the Wii U GamePad but I don't think this is true.  Like I clearly can't use my USB headset with it, which sucks because a lot of headsets are USB only now.

So can I use any headset that has 3.5mm or does it have to be a headset that has 3.5mm for sound AND voice in one jack?

The example of ones that come with smartphones doesnt help me because my smartphones didnt come with anything and I don't know if they have both jacks combined into one.  If that is the case then only a very select few headsets will work and definitely not "any headset" as you said.

[QUOTE="Haziqonfire"]

You do not have to use a specific third party Wii U microphone. Any headset (i.e. ones that come with many smartphones) will work on the Wii U GamePad. I am not 100% about this, but I think for certain games (like Assassin's Creed III) you can use the GamePad's microphone to chat online.

VVatson

You said any headset will work on the Wii U GamePad but I don't think this is true.  Like I clearly can't use my USB headset with it, which sucks because a lot of headsets are USB only now.

So can I use any headset that has 3.5mm or does it have to be a headset that has 3.5mm for sound AND voice in one jack?

The example of ones that come with smartphones doesnt help me because my smartphones didnt come with anything and I don't know if they have both jacks combined into one.  If that is the case then only a very select few headsets will work and definitely not "any headset" as you said.

[QUOTE="VVatson"]

[QUOTE="Haziqonfire"]

You do not have to use a specific third party Wii U microphone. Any headset (i.e. ones that come with many smartphones) will work on the Wii U GamePad. I am not 100% about this, but I think for certain games (like Assassin's Creed III) you can use the GamePad's microphone to chat online.

hiphops_savior

You said any headset will work on the Wii U GamePad but I don't think this is true.  Like I clearly can't use my USB headset with it, which sucks because a lot of headsets are USB only now.

So can I use any headset that has 3.5mm or does it have to be a headset that has 3.5mm for sound AND voice in one jack?

The example of ones that come with smartphones doesnt help me because my smartphones didnt come with anything and I don't know if they have both jacks combined into one.  If that is the case then only a very select few headsets will work and definitely not "any headset" as you said.

But what I still don't understand is if you need a headphone that uses a 3.5mm jack for BOTH sound and voice.  For example, I have an older logitech headset that uses 3.5mm jacks but it has both a red and green, one for audio and one for voice.  The gamepad only has one outlet, and its for audio.  So I assume that you need some type of headphone that uses an all-in-one type of 3.5mm jack.  And I take it most people keep mentioning smartphones because they are known for making this type of jack for use with phones because phones also don't have type inputs for audio/voice, only one for audio.

Or am i completely wrong altogether and my old logitech WILL work and I just need to plug in the voice jack and not worry about the audio?

Thanks

[QUOTE="hiphops_savior"][QUOTE="VVatson"]

You said any headset will work on the Wii U GamePad but I don't think this is true. Like I clearly can't use my USB headset with it, which sucks because a lot of headsets are USB only now.

So can I use any headset that has 3.5mm or does it have to be a headset that has 3.5mm for sound AND voice in one jack?

The example of ones that come with smartphones doesnt help me because my smartphones didnt come with anything and I don't know if they have both jacks combined into one. If that is the case then only a very select few headsets will work and definitely not "any headset" as you said.

VVatson

But what I still don't understand is if you need a headphone that uses a 3.5mm jack for BOTH sound and voice. For example, I have an older logitech headset that uses 3.5mm jacks but it has both a red and green, one for audio and one for voice. The gamepad only has one outlet, and its for audio. So I assume that you need some type of headphone that uses an all-in-one type of 3.5mm jack. And I take it most people keep mentioning smartphones because they are known for making this type of jack for use with phones because phones also don't have type inputs for audio/voice, only one for audio.

Or am i completely wrong altogether and my old logitech WILL work and I just need to plug in the voice jack and not worry about the audio?

Thanks

I'd imagine it only supports headphones/headsets with both sound and voice in one. I doubt it will work with your 2-jack logitech headset, but give it a shot anyway.

Yes that is correct, confirming my own question here for anyone who might have the same concerns:

You need the all-in-one type of headset/headphones that use the single 3.5mm jack with a microphone.

BUT

If you have any standard PC headset or microphone (non-USB), you can get this splitter that turns them into the all-in-one 3.5mm jack:

3.5mm Splitter from Amazon

SO

Before anyone who wants to use voice chat on the Wii U for games like Black Ops 2 goes out and buys a new mic, be sure to pick up a splitter instead if you have a PC mic.

If you want to use your headset then you will need one of these. Just connect them and it should work since im using one to connect my headphones and mic.

I heard that iphone headsets with mics work. 

Gamepad has a built in Mic. You can use it or a headset, I use the Turtle Beach NLa Wii U/ 3DS headset from Amazon. The following games have game chat. COD BO2, ME3, AC3, and the best imo is MH3U all use gamechat online well.

The Gamepad mic works for game chat, MH3U uses it.

Gamepad has a built in Mic. You can use it or a headset, I use the Turtle Beach NLa Wii U/ 3DS headset from Amazon. The following games have game chat. COD BO2, ME3, AC3, and the best imo is MH3U all use gamechat online well.

The Gamepad mic works for game chat, MH3U uses it.

Master_Of_Fools

[QUOTE="Master_Of_Fools"]Gamepad has a built in Mic. You can use it or a headset, I use the Turtle Beach NLa Wii U/ 3DS headset from Amazon. The following games have game chat. COD BO2, ME3, AC3, and the best imo is MH3U all use gamechat online well.

The Gamepad mic works for game chat, MH3U uses it.donalbane

[QUOTE="donalbane"][QUOTE="Master_Of_Fools"]Gamepad has a built in Mic. You can use it or a headset, I use the Turtle Beach NLa Wii U/ 3DS headset from Amazon. The following games have game chat. COD BO2, ME3, AC3, and the best imo is MH3U all use gamechat online well.

The Gamepad mic works for game chat, MH3U uses it.Master_Of_Fools

I don't really NEED to get that though. I can just spend $5 on an adaptor and use my PC headset.