Wii U can support at least one wireless headset… maybe

Update: Or maybe not. This is getting complicated again!

As NE reader Jake directed to us, PDP said the following about their afterglow headsets:

“Afterglow wireless headsets are compatible with Wii U. If the game chat utilizes the USB port of the Wii U console then the AG headset can receive the chat audio wirelessly. If the chat audio is directed through the 3.5mm audio jack on the Wii U pad then user can plug in the provided chat/game audio cable. It depends on how the game / chat audio is designed.”

So it looks like this will be another game-by-game basis thing again. With Black Ops II, wireless chat won’t be possible since it uses the the 3.5mm jack. As far as other games go? Guess we’ll have to wait until the console is actually out to know for sure. But it looks like it will certainly be able to work with a wired connection, and some games may be able to take advantage of the headset wirelessly.

One of the big, negative points made about the Wii U’s handling of voice chat is that the console won’t make use of wireless headsets. Mad Catz’s products are wired, as are the headsets made by Turtle Beach.

These two companies may be out of the picture for now, but PDP does offer a solution of its own. If you’d like a wireless experience on Wii U, it looks like you can purchase the “Universal Afterglow Wireless Headset”.

It’s not a Wii U-exclusive product – it also works with the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii, PC, and mobile devices.

GameStop is selling the headset for $89.99. It’s expensive, but it should get the job done.

Thanks to Metaldave for the tip.