Discord to Introduce Ads on Mobile App
A New Era for Ads on Discord
Discord, a popular gaming-focused chat platform, is set to introduce ads on its mobile app. But don’t worry, these ads won’t be as annoying as those on other social media platforms. According to a report from The Verge, Discord will be launching a pilot for Video Quests on mobile this summer.
What are Video Quests?
Video Quests are sponsored ads that Discord users can watch to earn rewards for their accounts, such as in-game items and avatar decorations. These ads won’t show up randomly like they do on other social media platforms. Instead, they’ll pop up as a Quest bar on the bottom of the screen, and users can choose to watch them or dismiss them.
How Will Ads Work on Discord?
When a user sees an ad, they can choose to watch it in the dedicated Quest tab. If they don’t want to watch ads, they can dismiss them. This is similar to how some mobile games work, where players can choose to watch ads to regain moves when they’re close to beating a level.
Discord’s Mission
Peter Sellis, Discord’s product leader, said that the move to expand Video Quests to mobile is part of a strategy to appeal to gaming brand partners. "Expanding our advertising platform to mobile is an obvious, natural evolution in our strategy," Sellis said. "Our mission is to create the most authentic, player-centric advertising platform in the galaxy."
What’s Next for Discord?
Discord’s announcement of its expansion of Video Quests to mobile comes over two weeks after the company spoke with investment banks about launching an initial public offering (IPO). Discord is worth $15 billion as of 2021. The news also comes after it updated the platform with some impressive new features, including the ability for users to ignore certain users without their knowledge.
Conclusion
Discord’s introduction of ads on its mobile app is a significant step in its strategy to appeal to gaming brand partners. While some users may be concerned about the presence of ads on their favorite chat platform, the ads are designed to be non-intrusive and rewarding. With the launch of Video Quests on mobile in June 2025, Discord is poised to take its advertising platform to the next level.
