Summary
With the emergence and rising popularity of online games, third-party voice-chat systems such as Skype and Discord have become a must as they allow friends to coordinate their gameplay, and enjoy couch-co-op even across long distances. Some games capitalize on this, allowing players to chat with each other via a built-in game chat.
There are games that take it a step further with proximity chat. As the name suggests, this mode of voice chat allows players only to hear each other if their avatars are close enough in the game world. It adds a layer of realism that games can take full advantage of.
Updated July 18, 2025, by Hamza Haq:Proximity Chat works best when it is incorporated into the main gameplay loop instead of merely being a tacked-on addition on top of other systems. Excellent examples are co-op horror games where two players in the same party can only communicate with each other through the use of proximity chat and need to rely on sticking together in scary situations. Certain PvP survival games like Rust also use proximity chat as a key piece of the puzzle, allowing players to talk their way out of a sticky situation that’s just about to devolve into violence.
Online titles have become one of the most popular styles of games, thanks to the spread of the internet, allowing players far and wide to enjoy experiences together. Studios that once developed single-player titles are now delving into the online world for a slice of the success, resulting in games such asThe Outlast Trials.
Players take part in the eponymous trials, and though they can go alone, it’s less dangerous to go with friends. In each trial, there is an objective that must be completed, but several terrifying enemies stand between them and the goal. To succeed, players need to stay close and communicate through in-game proximity chat. But, hearing their voices slowly fade into the distance as everybody splits up is a chilling experience. This is a horror game made for proximity chat.
DayZis anopen-world sandbox zombie survival gamewith no set goal other than to survive till the next sunrise. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic zombie urban environment with a progression system similar to that of other survival games like Rust. Multiple players inhabit the same map and can choose to either play with each other or against one another.
Proximity chat is the main way to interact with others, allowing players to organically meet new people by stumbling across them out in the world. Interactions rely almost entirely on how these conversations go, ranging from convincing people not to become aggressive to exchanging resources with the threat of imminent violence looming overhead, to colluding with another individual to take out a party together, and everything in between. While using proximity chat is not a requirement to enjoyDayZ, it adds a dimension to the survival gameplay loop that can only be replicated in games with this feature, and what makes the game feel special.
FPS gamesoften try to aim for realism, giving players tense, adrenaline-fueled gameplay for a thrilling experience that will keep them coming back for more. The emergence of VR technology has allowed developers to add a whole new layer of realism, as it places players right into the world, through the eyes of one of the gunmen.
Onwardtakes this a step further even, with proximity chat meaning players can only hear one another if they are in range. Whether it is in co-op mode or PVP, players are sure to feel immersed in the world ofOnward. Communication is also the key to success, adding just another reason why the proximity chat in this title is so important and meaningful.
16In Silence
The Monster Can Hear The Players, As They Work Together Or Against Each Other
This multiplayer horror game sees oneplayer taking control of the creature, and 2-6 other players take on the role of the hapless survivors who are looking for their means of escape from the woods, and the monster prowling among them.
Almost completely blind, the monster relies on sound to hunt, namely those of the survivors' actions and voices, as this is where the proximity chat comes into play. Players will need to communicate via voice chat to coordinate their efforts if they have any chance to survive, but the player controlling the monster also has access to it, allowing them to hear their chat and even join in themselves to taunt or scare the other players.
15Forewarned
A Terrifying Multiplayer Horror Experience Set In Ancient Ruins, Coordination Is Key
Similar toPhasmophobia,Forewarnedsees a group of intrepid explorers entering haunted premises and using equipment to find evidence to diagnose the entity, with anEgyptian theme, unlike the aforementioned game.
Players entering these ancient ruins must use proximity chat to corroborate their efforts in gathering evidence and exploring the ruins so they can know what the entity is, and know how to best deal with it while hopefully keeping themselves alive. Should players stray too far, they can use a walkie-talkie to keep in contact, which adds a layer of realism and immersion to this horrifying experience.
Shooting games set during WW2 are unique by any measure, butHell Let Loosesets itself apart by being an online experience of impressive scope. 50 players take on another 50, choosing to be part of the American, British, Soviet, or German army, and attempt to win against the opposing side by using all the weapons in their arsenal.
Considering the number of players, one would think the proximity chat would be illegible with too many overlapping voices, but developers over at Black Matter cleverly handled this, with one person in charge giving orders and organizing their units via the leadership voice channel, each unit able to communicate with each other in the unit proximity chat, and a party chat also implemented for friends to be able to communicate.
BattleBit Remasteredis anindie online multiplayer shooterwith low-poly graphics and fun gunplay that made a massive splash in the industry when it first came onto the scene in 2023. In the main game mode, players are separated into two teams on a single map and told to secure objectives and prevent the other team from claiming them; the tried and true Battlefield formula just works. Servers have the capacity to host up to 254 players in a single match, divided into two teams of 127 each, but most games tend to be either 32v32 or 64v64, as the player base has dwindled over the last year.
Proximity chat is implemented via the push-to-talk feature, which allows players to choose to engage in conversation with their teammates or enemies who are physically close to them. There is a team channel as well to communicate exclusively with allies when the need arises. Another cool feature is the ability to use PTT immediately after dying, which has the potential for all sorts of interactions between the killed player and the person who put them down.
TheCall of Dutyseries delved into therich and ripe battle royalemode, releasingWarzone 2.0back in 2022 to much fanfare and success. Considering its fanbase adores shooter games and the multiplayer aspects ofCoD, it made sense for the franchise to move in this direction, allowing players to enjoy aCoD-themedbattle royale game for free.
Players will be dropped into a map that continually shrinks as they try to gun each other down to earn the title of being the last one standing. The inclusion of proximity chat makes it all the more chaotic and fun, as the players will bring great energy, jokes, and smack-talk to the voice chat, as well as useful information such as locations of enemies players can use to their advantage.
11Holdfast: Nations at War
A Multi-Faceted Historic Multiplayer With Chaotic In-Game Chat
Part multiplayer, part shooter, part RPG,Holdfast: Nations at Waris sure to appease most gamers. Players willimmerse themselves in historic battlesusing the weaponry of the time in servers of up to 150 other players, ensuring tense and thrilling battles down to the last men standing.
Proximity chat is unlimited in the game servers, allowing anyone and everyone to engage in chat, mobilizing allies or antagonizing their enemies. With no limitations, restrictions or organizations, the voice chat can be chaotic, but adds more realism, as everyone would be talking over each other in times of war.
Vampire enthusiastshaven’t been forgotten either with the brilliantV Rising, which sees players don the fangs of a recently awakened vampire that fell into a prolonged slumber. There are many different aspects to the survival RPG, such as drinking different blood types with unique bonuses, building up a castle and shoring up its defenses, and dipping into the PVP mode to take on other vampires.
In PVP mode, players can use a built-in proximity chat to converse with the other players, and perhaps find ones who might be willing to team up. This is a great way to make new allies in the game who could potentially become a new friend to play more games with.
