DIGITAL LIFE

Discord declares war on Steam, after "killing" Skype and TeamSpeak
Discord (a free browser-based chat software or smartphone) that has connected communities of video game players, and not only uses as an opening message on its official website a statement of contempt of Skype and TeamSpeak, once popular systems of Communication. What is certain is that the simplicity of configuration, the various tools it offers, as well as layouts for placing on top of live broadcasts have made the software very popular, especially since it is free. After three years, the system has already captured 150 million users, but aims to further increase its base.The company intends to expand to the sale of video games, this time entering "conflict" with Steam, GoG, Origin, Humble, UPlay and any other digital distribution store. In the release available on Discord's blog, the technology has made available a beta to 50,000 users in Canada, and will be expanded later to more interested parties. These users have access to an improved version of Discord Nitro (a Netflix-like subscription service with a selection of religiously curated titles) and a new tab for the store where new video games are on sale.
The indie bids are already a top priority for the service and include some very popular titles such as Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, Frostpunk, Super Meat Boy, and others. However, the company does not want to be "one more" distribution service. It wants to take an active part in the production of video games, helping to finance and publish new proposals. In exchange, you only want a temporary uniqueness of sale on your 90-day platform, using the "First on Discord" brand. Then the studios can go on sale for other services.
Another aspect that the Discord wants to combat is the "Wild West" on Steam, a platform with thousands of games, where the lesser-known quality titles are swallowed by "sharks". The Discord store wants to be cured, with the games available to be carefully chosen by the team or through feedback from the community.



Another new feature that is being introduced in Discord is the user's universal library of titles accessible through the platform. This measure addresses the need for players to launch various applications for different games, such as Blizzard's Battle.net, Epic Launcher to play Fortnite, Bethesda titles, and so on. Discord scans the computer and identifies the installed games by bringing the boot to a specific tab.
Despite new features and new business plans to expand the platform, Discord is committed to staying true to the user base it has chosen to communicate with, promising to continue to add new features, such as recent support for animated gifs. Keeping its technology light and fast are essential pillars of its success, the company said in its statement.



Sapo