Discord
 | |
| Developer(s) | Hammer & Chisel |
|---|---|
| Engine |
|
| Operating system | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS, Linux (experimental) |
| Type | VoIP communications and instant messaging |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | discordapp |
Discord is a free proprietary VoIP application designed for gaming communities. Discord runs on Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS, Linux and in a web browser.
History
The service was popularized by eSports and LAN tournament gamers, including popular users on the Twitch.tv streaming service and game communities like that of Star Citizen. The company, which shares the same name as the service, was founded by OpenFeint founder Jason Citron, and has raised $20 million in funding from Greylock among other investments from Benchmark and Tencent. Citron intends to keep the company independent.[1] They intend to make money on the free service through customization options, such as special emojis, themes, and sounds.[2]
Developer Hammer & Chisel moved from supporting their mobile MOBA Fates Forever to creating Discord in 2015, releasing in May.[3][4] Gaining initial support and funding through YouWeb's 9+ incubator,[5] the company then raised funding through Benchmark capital and Tencent.[6] The developers aimed to create a program with low latency communication that incorporated what they considered as the best aspects of other VOIP software such as Skype and Teamspeak.[5]
The company raised an additional $20 million USD in funding for the software in January 2016.[7]
Software
The Discord application is designed for use while gaming, including features such as low latency and dedicated server infrastructure, preventing the sharing of IP addresses.[5] As well as voice chat via server rooms, the development team plan to add direct calling between users, video calling, and screen sharing.[4]
While the software itself comes at no cost, the developers are investigating ways to monetize it, with possible options including paid customization options such as emoji or stickers.[5]
Reception
By January 2016 Hammer & Chisel claimed that Discord had been used by 3 million people, with growth of 1 million per month.[7] In May that year, one year after the software's release, Tom Marks - writing for PC Gamer - described Discord as the best VoIP service available.[4]
TouchArcade reported that online sports teams that used the service to communicate had a significant advantage over teams that did not communicate.[8]
References
- ^ http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2016-01-26-jason-citron-lands-usd20m-for-discord
- ^ https://techcrunch.com/2015/08/27/discord-citron/
- ^ Tasos Lazarides (September 14, 2015). "Ex-'Fates Forever' Developers Making 'Discord', a Voice Comm App For Multiplayer Mobile Games". TouchArcade. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ a b c Tom Marks (14 May 2016). "One year after its launch, Discord is the best VoIP service available". PC Gamer. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
- ^ a b c d Dean Takahashi (September 10, 2015). "Hammer & Chisel pivots to voice comm app for multiplayer mobile games". VentureBeat. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ Dean Takahashi (February 10, 2015). "Fates Forever mobile game maker Hammer & Chisel raises funding from Benchmark and Tencent". VentureBeat. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ a b Alex Walker (January 27, 2016). "The Latest App For Third-Party Voice Chat Just Raised Almost US$20 Million". Kotaku Australia. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ http://toucharcade.com/2015/09/14/ex-fates-forever-developers-making-discord-a-voice-comm-app-for-multiplayer-mobile-games/