Discord is becoming more and more the essential communication application. Originally intended for players, the pandemic has taken it to another dimension by allowing companies and colleagues to be connected. It is in this perspective of development towards non-gaming users that Discord unveiled, in a blog post, new features on the application.
First, Discord has made third-party apps easier to access and use. Thanks to the “App Directory”, or application directory, it is now easier for server moderators to organize the different modules as they wish. Known as “bots” in the app, these offer many features. Where previously moderators had to fetch these additional apps from the internet, now it is possible to browse these apps and integrate them into servers directly from Discord. Whether it’s a DJ, a role-playing game master, or a casino croupier, server members can communicate with them using the “/” command.
Discord voice chat is coming to Xbox consoles
Virtual activities with friends
The other major addition is the new “Activities” feature, which allows users to connect even more with each other. According to Discord “85% of users surveyed said they regularly play games with friends on Discord”, and the application wanted to reinforce this role of virtual intermediary by adding common activities to share. Now, in a voice channel or in a call, a button with a rocket will appear; by clicking on it, participants will then be able to participate in the same activity.
All users will then have access to two features: “Putt Party”, a golf game, and “Watch Together” to broadcast YouTube videos. Many other activities, such as poker, chess, drawing, and more, are available to users who subscribe to Discord Nitro, the premium version of the app. Note that friends who do not have Discord Nitro can still join an activity organized by a user of the premium version.
Discord also launched a new formula this summer: Discord Nitro Classic. A lower price for reduced features. It allows you to upload a GIF avatar, use custom emoticons from a server anywhere, or perform screen and video stream sharing.
Launching at $4.99 per month, Nitro Classic is going to be replaced by a Nitro Basic offering — probably for the sake of clarity — at $2.99 per month starting October 20th. To subscribe to it, just go to the Nitro tab of the application settings. If you already have Nitro Classic, you can keep your existing offer as long as your subscription is active.