Discord finally embraces advertising after years of resistance

Discord, a popular instant messaging platform among gamers, is set to introduce ads on its free platform starting next week, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company will be rolling out “Sponsored Quests” from video game makers, offering users gifts for completing in-game tasks while their friends watch on Discord. This move marks a significant shift for Discord, which has previously shied away from relying on ads for revenue, unlike its competitors like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

The decision to introduce ads comes as a surprise to many, as CEO Jason Citron had previously stated that the company would not depend on ads for revenue. However, with Discord’s revenue reaching $600 million on an annualized basis, quadruple from 2020, the company laid off 17% of its workforce in January, indicating potential financial challenges.

To support this new initiative, Discord is looking to hire more than a dozen people for ad-sales positions. Users will have the option to turn off the ads in their settings, although it is unclear if this feature will be available to all users or limited to those with paid subscriptions. The ads will be targeted based on users’ gameplay, age, and geographic location data, appearing in the bottom left corner of their screens.

While some users find the ads minimally intrusive and understand the need for them on a mostly free platform, others have expressed concerns that the ads may pressure people to monetize their friendships by encouraging their friends to watch them complete sponsored tasks. It remains to be seen how users will respond to this new advertising strategy on Discord.