Discord has been the go-to when it comes to talking to your friends while gaming, but an annoying new feature could be added which might turn some people off.
Discord, our trusty and beloved messaging and calling app, is going to change soon. The company is set to incorporate ads into the program, something the company has stated before wasn't something they want to rely on.
According to a previous blog post, this ad integration will also benefit game developers who will partner with Discord to have their advertisements displayed. But, the community is not too happy with these proposed changes.
Discord To Implement Ads Into Streaming Software
Discord has been against traditional ads on their platform for a long time. Just in January 2024, they even doubled down on their 'no ads' stance, but now, just a few months later — and after letting over 170 employees go — Discord is trying something new. And by new we mean running ads.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Discord is going to be integrating ads from game developers and publishers. These ads aren't meant to just be visual though, with Discord explaining that these are "Sponsored Quests" which will be specific to tasks in the game, while you're streaming for your friends. This new system of ads should also have your friends get involved in the action.
CALLING ALL DEVELOPERS Ready to build games and experiences on Discord? Starting today, Game Developers will be able to build new games and experiences that can be played directly on the platform with our new Embedded App SDK. Learn all about this at https://t.co/JA11NbxNT2 pic.twitter.com/9nOEd15ran
— Discord (@discord) March 18, 2024
Honestly, it doesn't sound as bad, but it seems like Discord users aren't too happy with it. Until now, Discord has been ad-free, with monetization solely in the hands of people able to choose whether they want to pay for some upgraded services with Discord Nitro.
These ads should be implemented within the next week, so it'll be interesting to see whether users are going to be getting some form of added value through this new initiative. Right now, players aren't too hopeful, though.