Discord secures $150 million in funding, valued at over $2 billion

By Georgina Torbet December 23, 2018

Discord is hugely popular chat app for gamers, and the company is seeking to move into selling games as well. Back in October the company launched the Discord Store for games, meant to rival the massive Steam Store. And now Discord has announced that it has secured $150 million in funding, with a valuation of $2.05 billion.

The last time Discord raised cash was in April of this year, when they raised $50 million in funding at a $1.65 billion valuation. The company has only grown since then, as the influx of further cash and higher valuation demonstrate. The latest funding came primarily from investment group Greenoaks Capital, as well as from other funders like Firstmark, Tencent, IVP, Index Ventures, and Technology Opportunity Partners.

With this cash injection, Discord will expand the scope of their store. The store gained more attention recently when Discord announced that it would split revenue from game sales with the developers for self-published titles at a rate of 90/10, making it a more attractive option financially speaking than the 70/30 split offered by Steam. The Discord Store is definitely smaller in scope and audience than the behemoth Steam Store right now, but Discord is showing that it is looking to close that gap.

The main focus of Discord will continue to be its chat service, which allows users to talk via text or voice and is a common tool used by clans, guilds, and other gaming groups. The chat service is offered for free for all users but has an option to purchase a “Nitro” subscription that gives benefits like unlimited access to a library of games and extra features in chat. At $10 per month, Nitro could be a compelling option for gamers who want to play through a lot of titles without having to shell out for each one. However, the catalogue of games available skews more towards indie and casual games, which may not be appealing to Discord’s primary audience of hardcore gamers.

The investment in the Discord Store opens up another avenue of funding for the company, and is a smart move to monetize the gaming audience that Discord has access to thanks to its popularity as a chat interface.

Topics

Georgina Torbet

Space Writer

Georgina is the Digital Trends space writer, covering human space exploration, planetary science, and cosmology. She…

Gaming

How to revive dead companions in Baldur’s Gate 3

Withers offering services to the player in Baldur's Gate 3.

You're given a good bit of leeway during battles in Baldur's Gate 3 before you or a companion actually bites the dust for good. While in battle, if a teammate does take enough damage to drop, they aren't dead then and there. Instead, they will be downed with a chance to roll every turn to get back up. If they roll successfully three times, the battle ends, or you use another character to pick them up, they're good. If they fail that roll three times, however, they will be completely dead. That can be harsh when you've become attached to certain characters and want to further their stories, so you'll be looking for any way you can to bring them back. Thankfully you do have a few options for reviving companions in Baldur's Gate 3, but just like respeccing, they aren't so obvious.
Pay Withers to bring them back

Withers is a friendly undead you can find in a secret room in the Dank Crypt found inside the Overgrown Ruins. After finding and speaking to him in his sarcophagus, he will offer you various services, one of which is bringing back any dead companions. He won't do this out of the kindness of his heart (probably because it isn't beating) and will charge you a heavy fine of 200 gold to do so. Still, that's a small price to pay to bring back a beloved character. Once paid, that character will appear in your camp where they would normally be, so there's no need to go back to their corpse and find them.
Use a scroll of Revivfy or learn it

Gaming

Every video game delay that has happened in 2023 so far

The player skates toward the moon in Skate Story.

Few things feel as inevitable in the video game industry as delays. Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, game delays have only become more and more common as developers find previously set timelines unrealistic and adjust their release plans accordingly. More than halfway through 2023, we've already seen some notable AAA games like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Skull & Bones, and Pragmata delayed pretty heavily. Because video game release date delays are so common, it can be tough to keep track of every game that has had its launch date shifted in some way.
That's why, just as we did in 2021 and 2022, Digital Trends is rounding up every game delay that's announced throughout 2023. Here are the high-profile ones that have happened so far, listed chronologically by their new intended release dates.
The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR (March 16)

As Until Dawn: Rush of Blood is one of the best games for PlayStation VR, The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR, Supermassive Games' PlayStation VR2 successor, is a highly anticipated launch title for the upcoming VR headset. Unfortunately, it will no longer make PlayStation VR2's February 22 launch and will instead be released on March 16. On Twitter, a message from Supermassive Games says this delay will ensure that players "receive the most polished, terrifying experience possible" at release. The game was released on that date to mixed reviews.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (March 24)

Gaming

Is Remnant 2 cross-platform?

Three characters shoot at a boss in Remnant 2.

Aside from the focus on firearms and integrating some randomly generated environments, the Remnant series sets itself apart from other souls-like games mainly with its focus on co-op. Both titles encourage you to team up with two friends to fight your way through the mutated monsters that await. After so many years of progress in terms of multiplatform games incorporating full cross-platform support, you might assume Remnant 2 will follow suit and let you make a group with anyone regardless of what platform they're on. However, the truth may be a bit more disappointing. Before you make plans with your squad, here's what you need to know about Remnant 2's cross-platform support.
Is Remnant 2 cross-platform?

Unfortunately, Remnant 2 does not have cross-platform play between PS5, Xbox Series X or PC -- and there's no word about it being added in the future.