Latest news with #StanislavVishnevskiy
Engadget
3 days ago
- Business
- Engadget
Discord's CTO is just as worried about enshittification as you are
Discord co-founder and CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy wants you to know he thinks a lot about enshittification . With reports of an upcoming IPO and the news of his co-founder, Jason Citron, recently stepping down to hand leadership of the company over to Humam Sakhnini, a former Activision Blizzard executive, many Discord users are rightfully worried the platform is about to become, well, shit. "I understand the anxiety and concern," Vishnevskiy told Engadget in a recent call. "I think the things that people are afraid of are what separate a great, long-term focused company from just any other company." According to Vishnevskiy, the concern that Discord could fail to do right by its users or otherwise lose its way is a topic of regular discussion at the company. "I'm definitely the one who's constantly bringing up enshittification," he said of Discord's internal meetings. "It's not a bad thing to build a strong business and to monetize a product. That's how we can reinvest and continue to make things better. But we have to be extremely thoughtful about how we do that." The way Vishnevskiy tells it, Discord already had an identity crisis and came out of that moment with a stronger sense of what its product means to people. You may recall the company briefly operated a curated game store . Discord launched the storefront in 2018 only to shut it down less than a year later in 2019 . Vishnevskiy describes that as a period of reckoning within Discord. "We call it embracing the brutal facts internally," he said of the episode. When Vishnevskiy and Citron started Discord, they envisioned a platform that would not just be for chatting with friends, but one that would also serve as a game distribution hub. "We spent a year building that component of our business and then, quite frankly, we quickly knew it wasn't going well." Out of that failure, Discord decided to focus on its Nitro subscription and embrace everyone who was using the app to organize communities outside of gaming. Since its introduction in 2017, the service has evolved to include a few different perks, but at its heart, Nitro has always been a way for Discord users to get more out of the app and support their favorite servers. For instance, the $3 per month Basic tier allows people to use custom emoji and stickers on any server, and upload files that are up to 50MB. The regular tier, which costs $10 per month, includes 4K streaming, 500MB uploads and more. They're all nice-to-haves, but the core functions remain free. Marissa Leshnov for Discord Vishnevskiy describes Nitro as a "phenomenal business," but the decision to look beyond gaming created a different set of problems. "It wasn't clear exactly who we were building for, because now Discord was a community product for everyone, and that drove a lot of distractions," he said. That sense of mission drift was further exacerbated by the explosive growth Disord saw during the pandemic, as even more new users turned to the platform to stay in touch with friends during lockdown. "It covered up all the things that we didn't fully clarify about how we want to approach things," said Vishnevskiy. "We came out stronger. A lot of people were introduced to Discord, and it's their home now, but it's probably part of what made it take longer to realize some of the decisions we made at the time weren't right." One of those was a brief flirtation with the Web3 craze of 2021. That November, Citron tweeted a screenshot of an unreleased Discord build with integrations for two crypto wallet apps. The post sparked an intense backlash, with users threatening to cancel their Nitro subscriptions if the company went forward with the release. Two days later, Citron issued a statement saying Discord would not ship the integration. "We weren't trying to chase a technology. It was about allowing people to use Discord in a certain way, and that came with a lot of downsides. We were trying to do some integrations to limit some scams, and actually do right by users and make people safer," said Vishnevskiy. "But we really underestimated the sensitivity the general user base had to the topic of NFTs, and we did not do a really good job at explaining what we were trying to do." According to reporting from that period , Discord's employees were partly responsible for the reversal. An internal server made up of workers and game studio representatives reportedly erupted over the proposed implementation. Looking back, Vishnevskiy credits the company's employees, some of whom have been with Discord for a decade, for steering leadership in the right direction over the years. He says there have been situations where the company's employees have come to him and Citron to ask "why are we doing this?" He adds, "sometimes, they've pushed us to do things [Jason and I] didn't think we should be doing. I think that's an amazing asset to have. This product is built by people who love it and use it." Coming out of the pandemic, Discord announced last year it would refocus on gaming . In the immediate future, that shift of strategy will see the company emphasize "simple things" like app performance and useability over "building new features." In March, users got a taste of that new approach, with the company releasing a redesign of its PC overlay that made it less likely to trigger anti-cheat systems like BattleEye. In turn, that made the overlay compatible with a greater number of the most-played games on Discord. In that same release, Discord added three new UI density options to give users more control over the look and feel of the app. Moving forward, one area where the company wants to be particularly thoughtful is around AI. Discord has deployed the tech in a few areas – for example, it partnered with Krisp AI in 2019 to add noise cancellation to calls – but it also has wound down experiments that didn't work. "What we've found is that a lot of these things did not work well enough to be in the product," said Vishnevskiy, pointing to features like AutoMod . The tool exists in Discord right now. Moderators can use it to filter for specific words and phrases. But when the company first pitched the feature, it envisioned an AI component that would help admins manage large, unruly servers, and even built a version of it that ran on a large language model. The company has yet to ship the feature because "it was making too many mistakes." Discord also experimented briefly with a built-in chatbot called Clyde that leveraged tech from OpenAI, but canned it less than a year later. At the time, the company didn't give a reason for the shutdown, but the occasional screenshots posted to the Discord subreddit showed Clyde could, often unprompted, say some questionable things. "We're constantly retrying some of those ideas with modern models. No timeline on any of this because we will not ship until we think it's a good fit for the product," said Vishnevskiy, adding the last thing the company wants to do is "slap [AI] in because everyone else is doing it." Looking to the future, Vishnevskiy says Discord is focused on helping game developers, especially as it relates to discovery. The majority of the most popular games on Discord are the same ones that were popular on the platform 10 years ago. That's where Vishnevskiy says the app's new Orbs currency comes in, which people can earn by watching interactive ads, playing a game, or streaming their gameplay to friends on Discord. Yes, it's a way for Discord to grow its revenue, but Vishnevskiy believes the system aligns player interests with developer interests by giving Discord users something in return for their time and attention. At least that's the idea. I got to try the system after my interview with Vishnevskiy, and while it does feel friendly to users, I'd like to see how Discord plans to make it into something smaller game studios can leverage. Right now, many of the publishers the company has partnerships with are advertising releases that already have a lot of word of mouth going for them. I'm sure fans of Marvel Rivals will love the chance to earn an Ultron avatar decoration for their Discord, but a game with 147,000 concurrent players on Steam isn't exactly struggling. Vishnevskiy wouldn't discuss the specifics of when and if the company plans to IPO, but did offer one last assurance for users. "Discord is something that is meant to be a durable company that has a meaningful impact on people's lives, not just now but in 10 years as well," he said. "That's the journey that Hammond joined and signed up for too. We are long-term focused. Our investors are long-term focused." While it may be true that the Vishnevskiy and Discord's veteran employees have learned a lot over the company's sometimes turbulent history, it's not clear how a culture of experimentation and dissent might change with more shareholders to appease. The test will be whether Discord can stay true to itself and its many users. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chat App Discord Is Working With Goldman, JPMorgan on Planned IPO
(Bloomberg) -- Discord Inc., a social communications platform popular with video-game players and programmers, is working with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. on an initial public offering, according to people familiar with the matter. Why Did the Government Declare War on My Adorable Tiny Truck? How SUVs Are Making Traffic Worse Trump Slashed International Aid. Geneva Is Feeling the Impact. These US Bridges Face High Risk of Catastrophic Ship Strikes Gold-Rush Fever Returns to Historic New Zealand Mining Town The company could seek a stock market listing as soon as this year, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Discord's plans for an IPO, including the timing, could still change, the people said. The company could also add other advisers as its plans evolve. Representatives for Discord, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan declined to comment. Discord had previously considered going public via a direct listing rather than a traditional IPO, Bloomberg News reported in 2022. Last year, its chief executive officer said the company would 'probably go public,' but didn't give details or a time frame. Founded in 2015, San Francisco-based Discord was originally a voice and text chat app for gamers to discuss their strategies. Its popularity soared during the coronavirus pandemic, and in 2021, the company rejected a $12 billion takeover offer from Microsoft Corp., people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg at the time. Between 2020 and 2024, Discord's revenue quadrupled to more than $600 million on an annualized basis, people with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg. The company makes money by charging $3 to $10 for monthly subscriptions for premium features like custom emoji and larger content upload sizes — a product called Nitro that's doing 'remarkably well,' said Chief Technology Officer Stanislav Vishnevskiy during an interview in March at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Video game companies also pay Discord to advertise games. Last week, Discord launched its Social SDK, which integrates the chat app's social features into video games like Scopely Inc.'s Marvel Strike Force. Discord's long-term goal is to be 'at the center of gaming,' and to help video game companies find audiences, Vishnevskiy said. The company's backers include Index Ventures, Greylock Partners, Benchmark, Accel and Spark Capital. It has raised $1.1 billion in financing to date and was last valued at $14.7 billion after a funding round in 2021, according to data provider PitchBook. Discord has faced scrutiny around the world as regulators seek more control over digital platforms. In the US, the chat app has sometimes been used as a meeting place for extremists, while Russia and Turkey have banned use of the app. Business Schools Are Back Google Is Searching for an Answer to ChatGPT Israel Aims to Be the World's Arms Dealer A New 'China Shock' Is Destroying Jobs Around the World The Richest Americans Kept the Economy Booming. What Happens When They Stop Spending? ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Sign in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Discord Launches SDK to Power Social Infrastructure and Communications for Games
Developers can power friends lists, cross-platform messaging, voice and more for all players — with or without a Discord account Helps developers increase engagement and retention through seamless in-game social features; Drives discovery by extending reach to Discord's ecosystem of 200+ million monthly active users Early partners include Theorycraft Games, Facepunch Studios, Scopely; SDK now available for all developers SAN FRANCISCO, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Discord announces the launch of Discord Social SDK, a toolkit that enables developers of all sizes to tap into Discord's social infrastructure to drive their game's social and multiplayer experiences for all their players — with or without a Discord account — at no cost. Developers can not only harness the SDK to power in-game communication and connectivity for all players, but they can also provide an even more integrated and engaging experience for their Discord-connected players while further benefiting from Discord's social features to drive discovery and growth for their games. Already rolling out in games from early partners, Discord Social SDK streamlines player connections and increases engagement while also making it possible to extend reach beyond the game itself to Discord's highly engaged community of 200+ million monthly active users who spend a combined 1.5+ billion hours each month playing across thousands of titles on PC alone. Social integrations include a unified friends list that serves as the foundation for the in-game social experience, deep-linked game invites that enable players to invite their friends to directly join their party or lobby, and communications features such as cross-platform messaging and voice chat. Early developers leveraging Discord Social SDK include Theorycraft Games, Facepunch Studios,1047 Games, Scopely, Mainframe Industries, Elodie Games, Tencent Games and more. Discord Social SDK is compatible with C++, both Unreal Engine and Unity, and supports Windows 11+ and macOS. Support for console and mobile is coming soon. 'For game creators from indie to AAA, Discord is where you can connect with the world's largest and most engaged community of players to fuel the growth of your game before, during, and after launch. Game discovery and retention have never been so critical, and we're excited to help developers grow their games by reaching gamers where they are.' – Stanislav Vishnevskiy, Co-Founder and CTO at Discord 'We've bet big on Discord – from organizing our fully-remote office to nurturing our playtesting community – because we believe it's such a unique platform. Discord Social SDK is a valuable tool to make our social features like direct messaging, lobbies, and session invites absolutely seamless for SUPERVIVE players. We're thrilled to be an early partner for Discord Social SDK and look forward to bolstering our in-game communication by tapping into Discord's massive social graph and innovative social tools.' – Joe Tung, CEO at Theorycraft Games 'At Scopely, strong player communities are the heart of our games and core to everything we do. Our MARVEL Strike Force players are already coming together on Discord to strategize, strengthen their Alliances and connect with one another. With the upcoming integration of Discord's social connectivity directly into MARVEL Strike Force, we're looking forward to creating a more engaging, immersive and seamless way for players to communicate, enhancing how they play together and deepening their collaboration.' – Ryan Jacobson, General Manager of MARVEL Strike Force at Scopely Propelling Game Discovery and Fueling Ecosystem Growth Game discovery faces intense competition today. Just five major franchises now account for over 30% of total playtime, while the top 15 dominate 60% of all gaming hours [source: Newzoo, 'The PC & Console Gaming Report 2024"]. With 20K new games launching annually, developers struggle for visibility in a crowded market. Yet, 50% of Discord's active player base discovers and plays a new game each month. The social dimension of gaming has become crucial for discovery. As players gravitate toward Discord – today's digital living room designed for gaming – they seek active connections where real friendships thrive. Research shows 72% of Discord users play games with friends weekly, 50% stream their gameplay to friends, and 28% launch the same game within an hour of watching a friend stream [Source: Discord 2024 Internal Data]. When users play with at least one friend, gameplay sessions increase 7x, highlighting the power of friend-to-friend influence and Discord's unique ecosystem. Bringing Players Together, In and Out of Game Discord Social SDK provides a social infrastructure layer for developers, unlocking access to Discord's naturally social communities to enable highly engaged players to connect, play, and build relationships. With Discord-powered features available directly in games, players spend less time planning and more time playing – whether they're teaming up in the same game, coordinating across different games, or just keeping the conversation going after a match. Discord Social SDK offers a suite of features that enhance connectivity and player engagement, including: Unified Friends List: Players can access their Discord friends list in-game and their in-game friends list in Discord, enabling players to stay connected in and out of game. Deeplink Game Invites: Players can send invites directly from their in-game unified friends list to their Discord friends that drop them into the exact party/lobby/session, increasing player retention and engagement. Rich Presence: Players spread the word about a game just by playing it. Now available for PC, console, and mobile, rich presence lets a player surface their gaming activity in Discord as they are playing and can be configured to enable one-click game joins from player profiles. This leads to more discovery and exposure for the game, as well as more multiplayer gaming sessions. Flexible Account Requirements: A Discord account is not required for players to enjoy a unified social experience within the game, but account linking is available for those who wish to connect their in-game experience to their Discord account for an even more engaging experience that keeps the conversation around the game going even when they are not actively playing. Additionally, Discord is releasing features in a closed beta to support in-game communications: Cross-Platform Messaging: Players can keep the conversation around the game going across desktop, console, and mobile. Linked Channels: Players can link their in-game chat to specific Discord channels in their servers, providing a space for guilds, groups, and squads of all sizes to connect with persistent messaging across both the game and Discord. Voice Chat: Players can enjoy some of the highest quality audio chat available today, powered by the same technology behind Discord's voice tools that have made it the gold standard for video game communications. Developers can request expanded access to these available features via the closed beta. Getting Started with Discord Social SDK The launch of Discord Social SDK builds on the company's broader developer support initiatives, including Quests that drive game discovery through rewards, and Activities that allow game developers to build, launch, distribute, get discovered, and monetize natively on Discord. Learn more and get started with Discord Social SDK here. Images and press kit can be downloaded here. Discord is the communications platform that enables you to build meaningful connections around the joy of playing games through voice, video and text features. As the only communications platform purposely built for people who play multiplayer games, Discord has a highly engaged community of 200+ million monthly active users who spend a combined 1.5+ billion hours playing games each month across thousands of game titles on PC alone. Headquartered in San Francisco, Discord is free to download at with an optional subscription offering called Nitro that offers enhanced streaming and customization features.
