It’s no secret that the Nintendo Switch 2 just launched this week, but a lesser-known fact is that Nintendo now offers a standalone accessory called the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera that facilitates video chats by way of GameChat — a way for gamers to communicate with one another.
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The Nintendo Switch 2 camera connects to the Nintendo Switch 2 using its peripheral USB-C port — a separate port from the one used by the Dock for charging and playing games on the big screen. But as it turns out, you do not need to buy Nintendo’s first-party accessory; in fact, you might not even need to invest in a third-party USB-C camera.
As noted in a video demonstration shared on YouTube channel “Will it Work,” it appears to be completely possible to use your USB-C-equipped iPhone as a webcam for the Nintendo Switch 2’s GameChat feature, assuming you have the correct type of hookup in between. We’ve embedded the video for your viewing pleasure above.
In the video, the presenter uses an HDMI to USB-C cable, as well as an HDMI to USB-C video capture card cable cable to trick the Nintendo Switch 2 into using the video feed from the iPhone.
The reason this works is because both USB-C webcams and video capture card cables use the same standard known as Universal Video Class (UVC), which makes the output from one of these HDMI converters indistinguishable from the output of a webcam — at least in terms of the Nintendo Switch 2.
You will want to use a special app to ensure full-screen video without any buttons for the least intrusive webcam experience, and the presenter recommends a live mirroring app called True Visage. Once running, the Nintendo Switch 2 simply recognizes the connection as a webcam, and it just works.
You can purchase one of these HDMI to USB-C video capture card cables for under $20 from Amazon, and an HDMI to USB-C cable is another $10 from Amazon, making the total investment just $30, and potentially less than a dedicated USB-C webcam.
Are you going to use this trick when you get your Nintendo Switch 2, or do you plan to buy a dedicated USB-C webcam? Let us know in the comments section down below.