Discord enters the Ad arena
Discord has started testing unskippable, reward-based video ads — marking its most aggressive move yet into monetization outside of its Nitro subscriptions. The ads pause if users tab away, guaranteeing full impressions for brands.
Details. Discord has begun rolling out In-Game Rewards — branded video ads tied to game-related perks. While these ads appear for everyone, users can opt into more personalized promotions via their privacy settings.
Discord originally gained traction as a “safe space” for gamers and niche communities. With over 200 million monthly active users, it has quietly become one of the largest social platforms. Until now, monetization was limited to its Nitro subscription model — offering perks like better streaming quality and cosmetic features.
How it works:
- Unskippable, immersive video ads. These ads pause if users look away, ensuring full engagement.
- Opt-in personalization. Users can enable “In-Game Rewards” to receive promotions tailored to their gaming activity.
- Privacy-friendly targeting. Discord doesn’t rely on real names or invasive personal data, giving brands interest-based targeting with fewer privacy concerns.
Why we care. Discord, once a haven for ad-free, community-first experiences, is rolling out video ads — a major shift with big implications for users and brands alike. They are guaranteeing full user attention through unskippable, opt-in video ads tied to rewards and access to highly engaged, interest-based communities with minimal privacy concerns and low competition.
As Discord expands beyond gaming, brands have a unique opportunity to reach passionate audiences in a high-impact, low-noise environment.
The big picture. This move nudges Discord closer to mainstream social media — and away from its indie roots.
- “It used to be a digital clubhouse. Now it’s another ad surface,” said Navah Hopkins, Brand Evangelist at Optmyzr and Discord user.
- Still, Discord offers functionality that platforms like Slack can’t match, especially in its free tier, which retains message history and robust integrations.
What Discord is saying. The company describes In-Game Rewards as “experiences based on you interacting with the games you love.” Users can browse available rewards in the Quests tab — or opt out entirely via settings.
- “If you’re not interested in personalized Discord Quest promotions, you can opt out… You may still see Quest promotions, but they won’t be personalized,” according to Discord’s official policy.
For brands. Marketers, however, should pay close attention.
- Discord’s ad model guarantees full engagement: ads only play when users actively opt in, and they stop if users look away.
- “This is not YouTube pre-roll,” Hopkins noted. “You get 100% of the viewer’s attention — and in niche, engaged communities.”
- Targeting is interest-based rather than identity-based, reducing privacy concerns and increasing contextual relevance.
What we’re watching. If Discord’s community can tolerate — or even embrace — this new ad experience, it could open a highly lucrative, high-engagement channel for brands.
- Adoption by broader, more mainstream audiences in 2025 and 2026 could accelerate the trend.
- The key: whether this format drives ROI without alienating the core user base.
The bottom line. Discord’s move into ads marks a crossroads for the platform — straddling the line between community-driven tech and mainstream social media. Whether it can maintain trust while pursuing ad dollars may define its next chapter.
