Big Walk Voice Chat Still Too Quiet? What the Latest Patch Changed

Quick answer

Big Walk Version 1.4.8 addresses the quiet-microphone problem. House House says the update brings quiet voices closer to the intended volume, especially when players are nearby or at a medium distance.

It does not remove the proximity-chat design. Voices still fade as players separate, and the patch does not add independent voice and background-audio sliders. If a teammate sounds quiet while standing beside you, troubleshoot the device and output path. If the voice becomes quiet only after the group spreads out, that is expected behavior.

What Version 1.4.8 changed

The patch makes quiet voices louder overall:

• voices should be easier to hear at close range;
• medium-distance conversations should be more comfortable;
• quiet microphone setups should be less likely to sound like whispers.

The change is deliberately restrained. Big Walk uses proximity voice chat as part of its co-op design, so the update does not make a player audible across the whole map. Walls, corridors, distance, and walkie-talkie behavior still matter.

What the patch did not change

The update did not:

• increase the distance at which voices remain audible;
• create a separate voice-volume slider;
• turn proximity chat into global party chat;
• remove the need to move closer when solving a puzzle.

That distinction explains why some players still report low voice volume after updating. A conversation that is clear at arm's length can still fade when the group moves apart.

A two-minute diagnosis

Use the same room and the same speaker for every test.

1. Update the game to Version 1.4.8 and restart it.
2. Stand directly beside the other player and speak at a normal volume.
3. Move to a medium distance and repeat the same sentence.
4. Move behind a wall or into a corridor, then repeat it.
5. Try the walkie-talkie or another communication tool if the puzzle requires long-range coordination.

Interpret the result:

• Quiet even when standing together: check the microphone, operating-system input level, platform permissions, and output device.
• Clear up close but quiet at medium range: this is the proximity falloff the patch intentionally keeps.
• Clear in another app but quiet in Big Walk: confirm the game is using the same input device and that the player is not muted.
• Only one platform or one player is affected: compare the two microphones at close range before blaming the patch.

Device and platform checks

PC

Select the headset or microphone you actually use as the system input device before launching the game. Check that another application has not taken exclusive control, and verify that the input meter moves when you speak. If you changed devices while the game was open, restart Big Walk before retesting.

Also check the output side. A headset can have separate application and master-volume controls, and a loud ocean or ambient-sound scene can mask a voice that is technically working. The current patch did not add a separate voice slider, so lowering the overall game output may be the only in-game balance change available.

PlayStation

Confirm the headset is connected, the microphone is not muted, and the console party or system privacy settings are not intercepting voice chat. Test with the same friend in the same Big Walk distance test; do not use a party-chat test alone as proof that in-game proximity chat is configured correctly.

Crossplay

Big Walk supports crossplay. If a PC player can hear one teammate but not another, compare the two microphones at close range first. If both voices behave the same at close range but fade at the same distance, the game is probably working as designed.

Current status

Version 1.4.8 is the important fix for unusually quiet voices. It improves loudness near the speaker, but it is not a promise that players can communicate across the island without moving closer or using the game's tools. Use voice for nearby coordination and radios, gestures, signs, or other toys when the puzzle separates the group.

FAQ

Does the patch make voice chat global?

No. The proximity distance and fade-off behavior remain part of Big Walk's design.

Is there a separate voice-volume slider now?

No. The patch raises quiet voices, but it does not add independent voice and background-audio controls.

Why is my friend's microphone still quiet right beside me?

Check the selected input device, microphone permissions, mute state, operating-system input level, and headset output volume. Restart the game after changing the device.

Is a medium-distance voice becoming quieter a bug?

Not by itself. Version 1.4.8 improves medium-distance comfort but does not remove proximity falloff.

Sources

• House House: Big Walk Version 1.4.8 patch notes
• PC Gamer: what the voice-volume patch changed
• PlayStation: Big Walk official game page