Buy In-Game Items Directly on Discord
▼ Summary
– Discord is launching new in-app commerce features, allowing users to purchase digital game items directly on the platform without leaving.
– The features include creating wishlists and sending in-game items as gifts through direct messages, simplifying the gifting process.
– This initiative creates a new revenue stream for both Discord and game developers, especially relevant as Discord prepares for a potential IPO.
– The features are initially rolling out in partnership with the popular game Marvel Rivals, which has a massive existing Discord community.
– The shop is currently limited to desktop users in select regions like the U.S. and UK, with potential future expansion to more areas.
Discord is introducing a suite of new commerce tools that let gamers purchase digital items directly within the platform, a move that enhances user convenience and opens fresh revenue channels for developers. This strategic expansion arrives as the company readies itself for a potential initial public offering, a period where demonstrating robust financial growth becomes paramount. The features are designed to keep users engaged within Discord’s ecosystem, allowing them to buy in-game content, create wishlists, and even send items as gifts through direct messages without ever needing to navigate to an external store.
The initial launch partner for this initiative is the hit team-based shooter Marvel Rivals, a title that exploded in popularity with 10 million players in its first 72 hours and generated over $100 million in its debut month. Its massive Discord community, exceeding 4 million members, makes it an ideal testing ground. On the game’s official Discord server, players can now browse and purchase various digital goods including character costumes, emote bundles, and exclusive emojis from a dedicated store page.
Beyond simple purchases, the new system facilitates social gifting, a feature with particular appeal as the holiday season approaches. Users can compile wishlists of desired items that friends can view and fulfill. Perhaps more innovatively, the platform enables the direct gifting of items through DMs. This means someone can send a gift to a friend even if the sender does not personally play Marvel Rivals, simplifying the process of buying for the gamers in one’s life.
For Discord, this represents a significant monetization opportunity beyond its subscription services. By providing developers with a direct storefront to their captive audience, Discord helps them reach players who may not actively visit the game’s official website or launcher stores. This creates a potential revenue share model, benefiting both the platform and the game creators. As Discord moves toward becoming a public company, such diversified income streams will be crucial for satisfying investor expectations and financial scrutiny.
Currently, the shop functionality is in a limited rollout. It accepts U.S. dollars and is accessible only via the desktop application for users in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Oceania. Discord has indicated plans to evaluate expanding to additional currencies and regions in the future, suggesting this initial phase is a test of the core concept and its infrastructure.
(Source: TechCrunch)
