Discord, the veteran gaming chat software, launches Stage Channels voice chat

Discord is an instant messaging (IM) software that integrates voice and text for gamers. It was founded in San Francisco in 2015. As of 2019, the platform has more than 250 million users, and its monthly active users currently reach 140 million.

At a time when major social media platforms are showing a strong desire to "replicate" Clubhouse's voice chat room, Discord has launched its Stage Channels voice chat "stage".

According to theverge website, voice chat has always been a core feature of Discord . Since its launch, it has provided gamers with clear and seamless voice chat services, while Discord Stage Channels can help users conduct more organized voice chats with designated speakers and listeners.

The new channel type fits right in with Discord's existing vibe. Stage Channels allow any Discord user to host a talk and use moderator tools to control who gets the microphone and when. Participants in the chat can raise their hands to speak, or quietly exit.

Discord Stage Channels will also be available for voice-based social events like the American Music Awards ( AMAs) , as well as interviews, book clubs, and even karaoke . These channels will sync with events already hosted on Discord, making it easier for server operators to moderate conversations without having to deal with a lot of nitty-gritty details like user permissions .

However, this channel is limited to community servers opened for groups, ranging in size from less than 10 people to hundreds of thousands, so if users want to try Stage Channels for the first time, they must first go through a step to convert their channel into a community server.

Compared to Clubhouse, which recommends user-created real-time chat rooms to anyone who opens the app, Discord chat room hosts can apply to have their activities highlighted in the discovery menu bar on the platform, but the focus of the Discord platform is still on private and intimate groups that users have joined, as well as larger, interest-based communities.

In addition, Discord is an important application in the gaming community. It has now developed into a seamless chat service software suitable for application scenarios such as university study groups and Internet celebrity fan groups. Its main audience is young people . This is in sharp contrast to the large number of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and brands that Clubhouse has previously attracted.

Speaking of which, how can brands conduct promotional activities through Discord?

Unlike general social media, one of the reasons why Discord is popular among young people is that it does not have to endure advertising bombardment. Discord mainly makes money through its subscription service called Nitro . Platform members only need to pay $10 per month to customize labels, upload larger files and higher quality videos.

But Discord also has a partner program that allows brands to offer exclusive sales to community members. Announcing the launch of a new Discord channel to the public by giving away prizes or special discounts to the first 1,000 Discord members is a great way to spark interest among Discord users and build an active community from scratch.

Discord's valuation doubled to $7 billion in December last year , and media reports recently said Microsoft is negotiating a $10 billion deal with Discord, but sources said Discord is more likely to go public than be acquired.

Discord; Voice chat room