Discord

Discord is where you and your friends can truly be yourselves. It's a place to belong—whether you're an artist, activist, study group member, sneakerhead, or just someone who loves plants. We’re all about creating space for everyone to find their community and connect with others who share their passions.

Founded in 2015 by Jason Citron and Stanislav Vishnevskiy, Discord began as a solution to staying connected with friends while gaming. Today, it's a global platform with over 200 million monthly active users, spending more than 2 billion hours gaming together each month. While over 90% of users still play games, Discord has grown into much more—it’s a place to hang out, chat, share, and build relationships.

Our mission: Create space for everyone to find belonging.
Our vision: An inclusive world where no one feels like an outsider.

Core values:

• Autonomy
• Mastery
• Purpose
• Compassion

Guiding principles:

• Cultivate Belonging
• Deliver for Customers
• Surprise & Delight
• Debate, Decide, Commit
• Progress Over Perfection
• Embrace the Brutal Facts

Discord's Story:

• April 2012: Jason Citron establishes Phoenix Guild to bring people together around games.
• April 2013: Stanislav Vishnevskiy joins Jason.
• Summer 2014: Hammer & Chisel (formerly Phoenix Guild) launches Fates Forever, a mobile MOBA with built-in voice and text—Discord’s early foundation.
• May 2015: Discord is officially released as a gaming-focused chat app.
• Spring 2016: In-game overlay for PC and a friends list are added. The official API launches.
• Summer 2016: Voice calls in DMs and Group DMs are introduced, along with custom emoji.
• Early 2017: Discord Nitro is launched.
• Fall 2017: Video chat and screen sharing debut. Rich Presence API is introduced.
• Summer 2019: Go Live launches, enabling users to stream games to server friends. Server Boosting begins.
• Spring 2021: Discord partners with PlayStation for account linking.
• Spring 2023: PS5 voice chat support, Activities, Soundboard, and Voice Messages are added.
• Spring 2024: App Launcher is released.
• Winter 2024: Discord powers in-game chat for titles like Pax Dei and Omega Strikers.
• Spring 2025: Jason Citron transitions to Board Member & Advisor. Humam Sakhnini becomes Discord’s CEO.

Discord continues to evolve, helping millions connect in meaningful, fun, and authentic ways. Join us as we build an inclusive world where everyone belongs.

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