An object of the present invention is to present a voice chat system
suitable for networked games. The voice chat system of the present
invention comprises a plurality of game apparatuses connected to a
communications network and a server apparatus that manages voice chat
between the game apparatuses. The server apparatus obtains from a game
apparatus the IP address of the game apparatus which is to be the partner
for the voice chat. The voice information inputted into the game
apparatus is relayed over the IP network as a VoIP packet and is
delivered to the chat partner's game apparatus via the server apparatus.
Through this configuration, chat sounds are not outputted to all game
apparatuses connected to the network but, instead, are outputted only to
the game apparatuses specified by a player, so the object can be achieved
without an increase in network traffic above what is necessary.