If you want to take online gaming seriously, you’re going to need to talk to other people in real time. Whether you’re a part of a regular squad or just paired up via matchmaking, intercommunication is key to both winning and having a good time.
TeamSpeak have been in the business of facilitating communication between gamers across the internet for over 18 years. In 2020, they’ll release TeamSpeak 5, the latest iteration of their proprietary VoIP (voice-over-Internet-Protocol) application.
“TeamSpeak is the best performance voice communication tool on the market, combining crystal clear, lag-free audio, total privacy, and ultra-low resource usage,” Teamspeak Head of Marketing Marc Henson said. We chatted with Henson about the top five reasons you should consider TeamSpeak 5 as the answer for your communication needs.
What single feature allows TeamSpeak to stand apart from any other voice communication tool? “Voice quality,” Henson said. “TeamSpeak is by far the best quality VoIP communication platform on the market.“
In fact-paced competitive gaming, even the slightest bit of lag in communication between team members could cost them a match. TeamSpeak’s ultra-low latency promises to safeguard against that possibility, while features like machine-learning background-noise cancellation, keystroke suppression, advanced voice detection, multi-track recording, and in-line pink noise filters provide even more clarity and integrity to the audio quality.
“The quality and stability of our voice technology means that it is used by most of the world’s biggest names within the gaming and esports markets,” Henson said.
One of TeamSpeak 5’s new features is a messaging system that allows users to send direct messages to each other, even if they’re not connected to a TeamSpeak server.
“Built from the ground up, our messaging system includes private messaging and group chats that are fully end-to-end encrypted, meaning the privacy and security of your communication is not compromised,” Henson said. It’s an improvement that affords TeamSpeak users even more control over how they communicate with others.
Though TeamSpeak users have the option of using one of TeamSpeak’s own servers, they can set up a private server on their own computer if they prefer.
“Our client server architecture means that teams can host their own private voice server, both locally and on the internet,” Henson said. Players can set up private servers with just a few clicks of their mouse, and once they do, they’re afforded access to all of the same resources and features as any other server.
“We also provide a LAN-specific version that is used globally by top esports tournament providers,” Henson said. “They can be used offline, providing total control and privacy for the event organiser.” It’s all in the spirit of granting users as many means of customizability as possible, allowing them to manage servers to fit different situations.
A popular way for Twitch streamers to interact with their communities is by assigning “roles” to standout fans, whether by taking them on as moderators or granting them “VIP” status. These roles and special permissions, however, tend to remain relevant only in the context of Twitch’s platform.
TeamSpeak 5’s Twitch integration helps bridge the gap between Twitch and the app. “Our Twitch integration helps make this process simple by replicating the streamers’ Twitch permissions/roles within the TeamSpeak server, hence avoiding the often arduous and repetitive task of doing this manually,” Henson said.
If you’re a Twitch streamer, this means that you can treat access to your TeamSpeak server as a benefit for new moderators, editors, and VIP members without having to do any extra legwork.
Lastly, TeamSpeak 5 promises “military-grade security” and complete control over your own information.
“In today’s climate, personal information is extremely valuable and is a commodity that is often traded for corporate benefit,” Henson said. “This practice is becoming more and more prevalent and is an ever-growing cause for concern — not just to our users, but to the population as a whole.”
But if you use TeamSpeak, you can safely allay those fears. “We have never and will never use our customers’ personal data as a source of revenue,” Henson said. “Period.”