In Star Wars Battlefront, there will be no in-game voice chat. Those wanting to coordinate must rely on external programs.
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Communication among players is one of the most important elements in team shooters, especially beyond the casual level. It would be surprising if Star Wars Battlefront did not have a built-in voice chat. But that is exactly how it is. The developers recently revealed on Twitter that players would have to turn to alternative programs like Skype or Teamspeak.
The reason for this decision was not explicitly stated, but it can be assumed that the intention is to protect younger players. Because Star Wars is still very popular among young people. Parents might have no problem with their children (in America, usually earlier than in Germany) blasting a few Rebels or Imperials out of virtual life but surely do not want to hear someone yell “Your mother!” every two minutes. In The Elder Scrolls Online, several players have also expressed negative opinions about the voice chat, which has been described as an immersion killer.
Battlefront, in general, relies little on explicit violence; blood is almost absent, and even fallen heroes like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker collapse more or less non-violently on the battlefield. For tight-knit friend groups, the lack of voice chat may not be a major issue, but such solutions are rarely suitable for 40 players. There will likely be little large-scale coordination among all participants.
