When comparing Blizzard Voice Chat vs Element (formerly Riot), the Slant community recommends Element (formerly Riot) for most people. In the question“What is the best voice chat for gaming?” Element (formerly Riot) is ranked 3rd while Blizzard Voice Chat is ranked 5th. The most important reason people chose Element (formerly Riot) is:
You're not confined within Element's or even Matrix garden, and you don't have to make users of other networks switch to Matrix.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Built into the Battle.net app
As long as you have the Battle.net app, no extra software is required.
Pro Clean UI
It has a clean UI that continues the dark blue Blizzard theme.
Pro hi
Pro killer
Pro Bridges to other networks
You're not confined within Element's or even Matrix garden, and you don't have to make users of other networks switch to Matrix.
Pro Markdown support
Code snippets in chats can be highlighted with Markdown.
Pro Simple interface
Element has a very simple interface, adding the ability for more inexperienced users to use it.
Pro VOIP and Videoconferencing
Pro Supports encryption
Element allows for fully encrypted text, voice, and video chatting.
Pro Widgets support
Want to watch that flick at YouTube and discuss it at the same time? Have Grafana graphs stacked above your DevOps team chat? Collaboratively edit Google Docs and chat over without switching applications? This is possible with Element.
Pro Decentralized
An open network for secure, decentralized communication.
Pro Self-hosting and federated network
Pro Libre/open source
Pro Search
Search messages in your current room, or all the rooms you're in. Not subject to a message history limit like Slack.
Pro Cross platform
Web browser
Linux
OS X
Windows
Android
iOS
Pro Large existing community
With public rooms for many people, and you can create your own and let people from the community join.
Pro Etherpad real-time document collaboration
An easy to activate integration that allows multiple authors to edit a document simultaneously.
Pro File Sharing
Pro Supports text, voice, video
Cons
Con Can only chat with friends and friends of friends
Though it might limit the amount of unwanted rude people in your chat, it does limit the functionality in some games, where chatting with randoms would be beneficial.
Con Bad voice quality
The overall voice quality if very bad. The voice is kinda high-pitched and it adds some background noice to everyone, even when they're using a noice-canceler
Con Disconnects every 5 to 10 minutes
I have to go back to my desktop to remember to invite my friends to the voice chat. Incredibly annoying.
Con Can only be used for Blizzard games
The voice chat can only be used for Blizzard games. Luckily, their games include World of Warcraft, Starcraft, Overwatch, Heartstone, Diablo and many others.