Big Walk launched to strong reviews (94 Metacritic), but its proximity voice chat — the game’s core communication feature — has one widely reported bug. Here is the official status, workarounds, and how we track the fix.
Current status (as of August 7, 2026)
| Issue | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Friends’ voices too quiet (proximity voice) | Acknowledged by House House — fix in progress | Steam news, Aug 5, 2026 |
| Audio desync on 10+ player parties | Acknowledged | Developer statements |
| Matchmaking timeouts during peak hours | Acknowledged | Developer statements |
| 1.0.1 patch (expected to include the voice fix) | Announced, not yet released | See 1.0.1 tracker |
The quiet voice bug
In a game built around talking while walking, many players report that friends’ voices are barely audible even standing next to them, while other games sound fine.
Official statement (via Steam news, August 5, 2026):
KNOWN ISSUE: We understand that some people are having a problem where their friends’ voices are too quiet in the game. Sorry about this! While Big Walk is built around players getting quieter when they are farther away, we can see that for some setups, players’ voices are much quieter than intended even when very close by. We’re working to put out a fix as soon as we can.
The issue also caught the press: PC Gamer (“Big Walk is already fixing its biggest complaint”) and TheGamer both covered the story on August 5, 2026.
Workarounds to try now
Until the patch ships, these official FAQ checks solve the issue for many setups:
- Check mic input level first: Open Settings > Audio and confirm “Microphone Activity” bounces when you talk. If not, your mic isn’t reaching the game.
- Raise input volume at the system level (device settings, not in-game) — Big Walk currently has one master slider, and it can be hard to hear voices over ambient sounds.
- Keep the mic close to your mouth — the game models distance, so a lapel mic two feet away behaves very quietly.
- Check mute states: your device mute switch, Settings > Audio > Mute Mode (if “hold”, you must hold the button), and the moderation menu (make sure no one is “silenced”).
- Use headphones to avoid echo/speaker feedback, and confirm no one is playing through speakers that the mic is picking up.
- Lower the master volume a notch while testing voice levels — reviews note the ocean and ambience can drown out quiet players.
What we track
- The official 1.0.1 patch tracker (/updates/) — we update it the moment a build ships.
- This page is refreshed whenever House House or Panic post new announcements (Steam news / bigwalk.game FAQ).
Want to avoid the voice issue entirely for now? Read our proximity chat guide for comms alternatives, or check online requirements for platform-specific setup notes.