If you’ve been part of the gaming community (or honestly just on the internet lately), you’ve probably heard of Discord. Whether your friends invited you to their private server for memes, you’ve seen games like Elden Ring or Genshin Impact announce their own official Discord servers, or you are a member of Xbox Game Pass and have seen perks for “Discord Nitro,” it’s a big deal. If you're not too familiar with Discord yet, this explainer is for you.
Everything you need to know about Discord:
- What is Discord
- Is Discord like TeamSpeak, Xbox Live, reddit, etc?
- Where can I use Discord?
- What are Discord Servers
- What is Discord Nitro?
- Can I stream on Discord?
What is Discord?
Discord is many things, which is a huge part of its charm. At the most basic level, Discord is a text, audio, and video chat program, and a place to engage with communities or properties you love.
It’s a place to hang out with friends, family, and fans of the same things. It serves as a message board and live chat unto itself, and you can effortlessly hop into phone or video calls whenever you like.
A number of games (Elden Ring, Guilty Gear: Strive, etc.) and other things, have dedicated Discord servers where you can go and find the latest information, hang out with other players or even developers, or coordinate and jump into play sessions.
Technical Details
- What it is: Group chat software
- Client: JS
- Server: Elixir, Python, Rust, C++
- Globally supported by 11 data centers
Quick History of Discord
Released back in May 2015, Discord has over 150 million monthly users according to InfluencerMarketingHub. It started as a video game-focused chat service to boost tactics in games like FFXIV and LoL when founder Jason Citron found it difficult using available VoIP, and has now shifted to a broader communication/chat client (in response to increased users during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic).
Like many chat platforms, Discord has of course had its share of complaints across cyberbullying and extremist content, including private servers with disturbing messages or hate speech. However, when these problems arise, assisted moderation has been applied and/or Discord has made updates to their community guidelines while banning extremist servers.
With all the things it can offer in the end, it’s no wonder that many of us use Discord, whether it’s for personal or professional use. No matter what you want to get into, there is probably a Discord for that, so don’t be afraid to jump in. You’ll find a world full of cool people, and lots to do.
Is Discord Like TeamSpeak, Xbox Live, Reddit, etc.?
Discord has a wide range of functions, so the answer is “yes!” It actually IS like Reddit, Xbox Live, TeamSpeak, and many other services. The fact that it has video call functionality, party voice chat functionality, and text channels with custom rules for each server and the ability to pin notable messages means it can serve the same function as specific subreddits.
Some Discord servers have organized events, giveaways, and special rules, and they can create special splash screens to make sure you always know what’s going on.
You can also link your account to let your friends see what games you are playing currently, even if you hop into a game on PlayStation, Steam, or somewhere else.
Where Can I Use Discord?
You can use Discord on all kinds of different platforms. You can download the program on Android and iOS, PCs, Macs, tablets, and more, and the app is coming to PlayStation 5 soon. Discord is also available on the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, but you have to use a workaround by downloading the Quarrel Insider App.
Even if you don’t want to download the app, you can still use it in your web browser. Discord.com will let you log into your account and give you access to all your servers and benefits wherever you are. Easy peasy.
What Are Discord Servers?
A Discord server is the specific section of Discord that is designated for your group. Servers come in all shapes and sizes, and you can make them yourself, too.
Many Patreon, YouTube, Reddit, and Twitch communities (and some games, corporations, or groups) have corresponding Discord servers where people can hang out, catch the latest updates on upcoming events or content, and even chat with creators directly, whether via messages, or even audio or video calls.
To gain access to a Discord server, you’ll need to get an invite, but those come in several varieties, too. Invites can be set to be single-use, time-restricted, or unlimited, which means they can be shared and used infinitely by anyone with the link. Some Discord servers publicly post these unlimited invitations, meaning anyone can join, but you can easily restrict access to your own server, ensuring that only the people you want will be able to join. This is great for Discord servers that are meant just for your family, a specific group of friends, and the like.
What is Discord Nitro?
Discord Nitro is a subscription service Discord offers. For $10 a month or $100 a year, you can get tons of customization options and some quality of life improvements. First and foremost, you can upload images up to 100MB, where the normal restrictions limit you to uploads of 8MB. You can also stream HD video, instead of standard definition, and post messages that are longer (up to 4,000 characters with Nitro). You are also normally restricted to joining up to 100 Discord servers, but Nitro bumps that up to 200.
The customization options enable you to use multiple profiles so your info is unique to each server you are a member of. You can also add custom video backgrounds during video calls, gain access special stickers, and use server emojis everywhere (custom emojis are normally restricted and can only be used on the server they were created for).
You can also support servers you like by applying Server Boost (which increase user functionality, server customization, and give small, subscription-like bonuses for all members), and you gain two Server Boosts for subscribing to Nitro, as well as a 30% discount on any Boosts you buy afterwards.
Can I Stream on Discord?
Yes, you can stream on Discord! You can stream your games, sharing a window, program, or entire monitor to your friends, or anyone with access to the Discord server. This basically means that you can “present” like you can on Zoom, or other similar services.
You can also stream directly to people who you have added as Friends, letting you have a 1-on-1 hangout while showing off the game you are playing, or whatever else you’re doing.
Brian Barnett writes reviews, wiki guides, deals posts, features, and more for IGN. You can get your fix of his antics on Twitter (@Ribnax) or check out his show on Twitch (The Platformers).