Patent ID: 8602892

Claim:
A system comprising: a game communications exchange having multiple ports, a first of said multiple ports is configured to receive first game audio information from a first game console and a second of said multiple ports is configured to receive second game audio information from a second game console, wherein the first game console and second game console are connected via a local area network and not the Internet, the game communications exchange comprising: a first set of circuitry configured for transmitting first game audio information received from the first game console to a first gamer audio gear set the first game audio information comprising sounds from a game being played on the first game console; a second set of circuitry configured for transmitting second game audio information received from the second game console to a second gamer audio gear set, the second game audio information comprising sounds from a game being played on the second game console; and a mixer including summing circuitry configured for creating a summed common channel of first chat audio information received from a microphone of the first gamer audio gear set and second chat audio information received from a microphone of the second gamer audio gear set, wherein the summing circuitry sums the first chat audio information and second chat audio information and transmits the resulting summed common channel to both the first gamer audio gear set and second gamer audio gear set, wherein the game communications exchange is external to both the first game console and second game console.