Proximity voice chat and social communication design

Scars of Honor includes an in-game voice chat system with proximity-based communication. The feature is presented as a basic implementation, but one considered important for keeping social interaction inside the game client.

Voice chat features

The shown interface includes options to enable or disable voice chat and configure push-to-talk behavior. The system is described as simple rather than feature-rich.

Design rationale

The stated purpose of in-game voice communication is to reduce reliance on external applications when playing with others. The design assumption is that requiring players to leave the game in order to communicate increases the chance that they disengage from the game session entirely.

This places voice chat within a broader social-first MMO philosophy, where communication tools are treated as part of player retention and group play rather than as an optional external layer.

Source

• Recording: I Revealed the Playtest Dates (And What You’ll Be Playing)
• YouTube: Watch on YouTube
• Published: Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 4:31 PM UTC