Nintendo"s Switch Online service has been often criticized for its poor implementation of voice chat, which requires the use of the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app. The decision has been so unpopular, in fact, that companies such as Vivox and Epic Games are bringing their own implementations to the system so that users can use voice chat in a more convenient way.
One big problem with that, though, is that the Switch controllers, be it the Joy-Con, the Pro Controller, or the majority of third-party offerings, don"t have a headphone jack like the Xbox One controller, for example. The Switch also doesn"t natively support Bluetooth audio, so if you want to use a headset in TV mode, you"ll need one with a really long cable. That"s where PDP"s latest controller comes in.
The Faceoff Deluxe+ Audio Controller is the first Nintendo Switch controller to have a headphone jack, so you can plug in your favorite headphones no matter how long their cable is. The controller even has volume controls for the headset built into the D-pad, so it should be pretty painless to adjust even if your headphones don"t have in-line controls. It also has two remappable buttons on the back of the controller where your hands rest, and it can be customized with interchangeable faceplates.
The big drawback is that it is a wired controller, which is to be expected since the Switch can"t natively send audio over Bluetooth. It has a 10-foot USB cable, which handles the audio passthrough as well. Being wired has some other limitations on the Switch, such as being unable to use NFC to read amiibo. There"s also no mention of support for motion controls, if you care about that.
Now, of course, this is only meant for TV mode, since you can just plug in the headphones directly into the Nintendo Switch in handheld mode. Nonetheless, if you care about voice chat, it"s the first controller to actually make that easier in TV mode, and at $24.99, it"s certainly not the most expensive Switch controller out there.
The Faceoff Deluxe+ Audio Controller will open for pre-order in May, with planned availability in the summer. If you are truly interested in Bluetooth audio and don"t mind shelling out some extra dollars, the GENKI, which was available through a Kickstarter campaign last year, can now be ordered from the company"s website.