Discord user Badmax
TL;DR Google Pixel phones can now function as USB webcams for the Nintendo Switch 2’s GameChat feature.
Early testing showed incompatibility issues between the two devices, but users confirm the connection now works seamlessly.
This allows Pixel owners to join video calls on the console without needing to purchase or carry a separate webcam.
One of the new social gaming features introduced with the Nintendo Switch 2 is GameChat, which essentially lets you join a group video call where everyone shares their game screen and camera feed. GameChat lets you see and chat with friends even if they’re playing different games, but it requires external hardware to show your face, as the Switch 2 lacks a built-in camera. Nintendo says the Switch 2 works with most USB webcams, but in our early testing, we found that it wasn’t compatible with the Pixel’s USB webcam mode. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case.
Nintendo GameChat on the Nintendo Switch 2 with the console's official USB-C Camera Accessory.
Google Pixel phones are some of the only Android phones that can natively act as USB webcams. This is because they support the USB webcam feature Google introduced in the first quarterly release of Android 14. This update allowed devices to change the USB mode to UVC (USB Video Class) — the standard used by dedicated webcams. In order to support this feature, though, manufacturers must explicitly configure their phones to support UVC. Google is currently the only one doing so, meaning you don’t need a third-party webcam app to use your Pixel as a webcam — just a USB cable.
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Shortly after the Nintendo Switch 2 launched, users tested a variety of USB webcams to check for compatibility. One of my followers connected their Pixel phone to their Switch 2 and enabled Webcam mode in USB Preferences, but it failed; the Switch 2 briefly recognized the Pixel as a webcam before the connection dropped. We didn’t know why Pixels weren’t recognized as valid webcams at the time — the fault could have been on either Nintendo or Google’s side. Thankfully, the issue has quietly been resolved.
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