What is gaming chat?: 5 top tools to choose from

‍

With over 3 billion gamers all over the globe, online gaming has witnessed a phenomenal rise. Though the players are often perceived to be anti-social, in reality, they prefer to interact with like-minded individuals.

Irrespective of the nature of the game, players look for robust communication channels to collaborate with fellow gamers.

Traditionally, the in-game chat apps offered text-only messaging that limited communication outside the gaming session. However, the evolution of third-party apps offered video and voice channels that allowed players to collaborate better. They also helped socialize beyond the gaming session and forge friendships with individuals who share similar interests.

In this article, we have covered the top 5 game chat apps along with their key features.

What is gaming chat?

Gaming chat refers to the various forms of communication tools and applications that enable players to interact with each other during gameplay. This can include text, voice, and video chat functionalities that are either integrated into games or provided through third-party applications.

As noted before, the primary purpose of gaming chat is to facilitate real-time communication among players, enhancing teamwork, strategy coordination, and social interaction within the gaming environment.

Types of gaming chat apps

There are different types of gaming chat applications, such as:

1. In-app game chat

Integrated with the game functionality, in-app chat allows players to exchange messages without leaving the game. Their features are customized to meet the needs of specific game dynamics. Often, the in-app messaging is restricted to players in the same session and specific gaming console.

2. Third-party gaming chat

Third-party applications allow players to communicate with their counterparts engaged in different sessions and games. This enables them to interact and socialize beyond the gaming session and hence remains a preferred choice for players.

Key benefits of gaming chat

Following are some of the key benefits of using a gaming chat application:

1. Enhanced coordination

When it comes to team-based games, these chat platforms help drive coordination between players. They can discuss strategies, plan responsibilities, and decide on role assignments on the go.

2. Improved social experience

An Accenture study shows that 84% of the 4000 gamers who participated in the survey said that they look for games as an opportunity to connect with people of similar interests.

Gaming chat platforms allow players to forge meaningful connections and bonds with players from across the world. This is particularly true with third-party applications as they help players connect outside the gaming environment.

3. Increased engagement

The chat platforms keep players engaged throughout the session. It fosters a sense of purpose and belonging while enhancing the overall gaming experience.

4. Competitive advantage in multiplayer games

In team-based games, effective communication helps players share critical information about opponents, plan attacks, and make adjustments based on the evolving scenario. The team chat apps help them gain an edge over their opponents.

5 top gaming chat tools

Here are the best gaming chat applications along with their features and functionalities:

1. Rocket.Chat

Rocket.Chat remains a go-to live chat app for gamers as it offers an effective platform for team collaboration. As it is an open-source platform, it can be customized to meet the specific needs of a game. It has omnichannel abilities which allows players to exchange conversations through a platform of their convenience.

Moreover, Rocket.Chat can be white-labeled, so developers can customize the live chat widget based on their brand guidelines and integrate it into the gaming environment. This allows for an immersive experience for players while enabling them to communicate with their counterparts without switching between different platforms.

The platform supports effective team communication in one-on-one messages, group chats, channels, threads, and discussions. These features drive seamless collaboration between players while they engage in an intense gaming session.

Key features

Open source software
Omnichannel collaboration
Supports text, video, and voice chat
Secure file sharing and screen sharing
On-premises and air-gapped deployment
End-to-end encryption and customized user controls
One-on-one and group chats
Team-based threaded conversations

2. Discord

Known for offering an immersive experience for gamers, Discord remains a popular gaming chat application. It allows them to chat over text, video, and voice channels. It can be easily integrated with a PlayStation or Xbox account.

It has a high-quality, low-latency live voice channel that allows players to easily turn on and off the mic using a pre-configured key. This allows players to converse with their teammates and friends as they are engaged in a gaming session.

Also, users can create private communication servers and then quickly invite people with whom they wish to engage.

Gamers can customize their space for game communication and hang out. They can set an avatar that helps add a persona to their voice and text chat. It also lets users add a custom status to their profile. They can add emojis, stickers, and soundboard effects to make the conversation more engaging.

Key features

Always-on live voice channel
User-friendly interface
Emojis, memes, and stickers
File sharing up to 50 MB in the free version
Custom video backgrounds
Allows users to create private servers and channels
Easy integration with games

3. TeamSpeak

Incepted as a Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) platform with advanced messaging abilities, TeamSpeak has emerged as a popular communication tool for gamers. It allows users to create dedicated servers and channels to discuss specific topics and games. They can also join a server of their preference to participate in specific voice channels.

The proprietary technology offers exceptional, lag-free audio abilities with microphone volume adjustment and background noise cancellation. This helps drive quick, real-time conversations in the game environment.

TeamSpeak has a wide range of permission options that allow users to exert control over the channels and servers. It supports Windows, Android, Linux, and iOS enabling gamers to communicate across a range of devices. Users can add extra plugins and add-ons allowing users to customize the sound effects.

Key features

Fully customizable interface
Unlimited file transfer
Has a voice chat room
Supports anonymous usage
Background noise reduction and echo cancellation
Automatic microphone volume adjustment
Direct message and group chat abilities
Easy to share and store files
Self-hosted deployment

‍

4. Skype

While Skype is a popular platform for personal and business communication, it is also used by gamers. It enables users to communicate through text messages, voice calls, and video conferencing. The screen-sharing functionality helps players plan effective strategies and attacks quickly.

Skype allows gamers to share files, game-related documents, and screenshots with other players. Through the chat feature, they can engage in one-on-one conversations and group chat rooms. While most in-app gaming chat applications allow voice communication, Skype supports video calls which allows users to engage in fun conversations.

It also has status, presence, and typing indicators that drive powerful engagement between players. Skype has @mentions and emojis that help draw the other player’s attention.

Key features

HD voice and video calls
Chat rooms and one-on-one conversation
Smart messaging abilities
Custom reactions
File and document sharing
Real-time translator
Status and typing indicators
Custom backgrounds

5. Mumble

Mumble is a renowned open-source gaming chat application that has been popular among gamers for over 15 years. Designed primarily for voice communication, Mumble offers a robust platform that emphasizes low latency and high-quality audio, making it ideal for real-time gaming interactions.

Its client-server architecture allows users to connect through dedicated servers, ensuring secure and efficient communication. Mumble also features an in-game overlay, enabling players to communicate without interrupting their gameplay.

Additionally, Mumble's positional audio feature allows players to locate teammates based on their in-game positions, enhancing the immersive gaming experience.

Key features

Low latency
High-quality voice chat
In-game overlay
Positional audio
Public/private key authentication
Cross-platform compatibility
Server-based architecture
Echo cancellation

Features to look for in a gaming chat tool

When choosing a chat platform, you must check for the following features:

Low latency

Gamers operate in a fast-paced environment and must respond swiftly to evolving situations. In that case, low latency enables them to discuss enemy positions and plan strategies without lag.

High-quality audio/video

Noise and background sound cancellation promote a connected environment that enables players to communicate clearly. This reduces the risk of miscommunication allowing for effective coordination.

Cross-platform compatibility

As per a Deloitte study, 67% of gamers play across different devices including PC, gaming console, or mobile. So, the game chat engine must be compatible across all of them. This allows players to switch between devices and coordinate effectively without platform limitations.

Customizable notifications and alerts

Players must be allowed to set custom alerts for in-game events and channel updates, so they do not miss important details.

Screen sharing and video conferencing

Video conferencing helps players to engage in face-to-face discussions leading to a meaningful social experience. Screen sharing facility drives a collaborative game environment and players can demonstrate game mechanics and troubleshoot issues.

Mobile app support

As per a Deloitte study, 55% of gamers use smartphones to play regularly. So, the gaming chat application must support mobile accessibility. The flexibility that comes with the mobile app helps gamers participate in group chats and channel discussions on the go irrespective of their location.

Security and moderation features

The game chat app must have end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access to user data. They must allow admin and moderation teams to detect and prevent inappropriate content and usage of offensive language. It should have parental controls that help parents restrict children from accessing inappropriate content.

Immersive gaming experience with Rocket.Chat

Gaming chat applications allow players to engage in real-time communication of strategies and socialize themselves with like-minded individuals. Sharing critical information about enemy positions and coordinating decisions with their teammates helps them gain an edge over competitors.

The chat application must support low-latency communication and have excellent audio and video conferencing abilities. Among the top gaming chat platforms in the article, Rocket.Chat is a leading choice because of its advanced security features, file-sharing abilities, and a greater degree of customization.

Here are the other important features of Rocket.Chat:

Fully customizable to the gaming environment as it is an open-source tool
Players can communicate in their preferred mode- text, video, or voice
Minimizes background noise and has low latency to support real-time communication
Allows players to share large files, documents, and game manuals
Prevents unauthorized access with end-to-end encryption
Offers customizable parental control features
Enables players to communicate beyond the gaming console

Also, its scalability and customizability along with air-gapped deployment support and low-latency communication abilities have made the platform a preferred chat tool for gamers.

Contact Rocket.Chat to learn more!