In-game chat: Eight key features and how to deliver them

In-game chat is a crucial feature for online games as it enhances player engagement and retention. It allows players to communicate directly within the game environment, maintaining immersion and providing developers with full control over its integration with game functionality. Key features of in-game chat include moderation and parental controls, friends lists, lobby chat, party/team chat rooms, direct messages, presence and status indicators, GIFs, emojis, reactions, low latency guaranteed delivery, scalability, and reliability. The choice between text-based or voice and video-based chat depends on the game's mechanics, genre, and technical capabilities of the platform. Developers can deliver in-game chat by building it from scratch, integrating with a third-party chat app, using a Chat-as-a-Service (CaaS), or utilizing a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS).