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Discord going public: What does it mean and why are users against it?

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For some time, we have heard inklings of Discord going public, and it seems as though this is now closer than ever.

According to reports in recent weeks, Discord, the popular instant messaging and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) program, is looking to go public. While this may sound as though it is something positive, it could push the program into decline. With this in mind, below is an explanation of the ramifications of Discord going public and why users are already beginning to seek a new home for their online communities.

What does Discord going public mean?

Discord, in its current state, is a private company. This means that the company’s shares cannot be publicly traded, and purchasing stock is only available to authorized investors. This is now set to change as the owners are looking to push the company into an Initial Public Offering (IPO). While this is generally good for the company, easily raising funds to update and grow, it is not something many users appreciate.

With Discord going public, many have addressed concerns online. Examples of companies that have failed after going public include the likes of Etsy and Uber. With that said, failure is not what users are worried about. Instead, the concern lies with how things could change within Discord.

Although payment aspects exist on Discord, they do not hold back functionality. This has been one of the major reasons for its success over the past 10 years. A movement to an IPO shifts this, causing the possible introduction of adverts or payment for previously free features. At its core, users are worried about the corporate monetization that will come from this.

How long do we have?

Currently, it seems as though the talks are in their early stages. Discord was originally going to go public back in 2021, when the company value was as high as $15,000,000,000 (yes, that says 15 billion dollars). This was also when they turned down a buyout from Microsoft. With that said, it seems likely that 2025 is the year when this will occur – but no confirmation of this has been seen just yet.

What can we do?

With over 90% of Discord users utilizing the program for gaming, we can all remain calm. This is because there are some definite alternatives. While our communities have grown over the years through Discord, previously we had all suffered through many other worse programs. Earlier in 2025, TeamSpeak revealed that they would be making a comeback. This includes many features which Discord users have come to enjoy.

It almost feels as though TeamSpeak could not have timed things better.

From comments on Reddit’s r/discordapp and r/technology, hundreds have been voicing their concerns over the past few days. The consensus is that with Discord going public, we will begin to see a major decline in functionality. As mentioned earlier, we have places to turn to.

Although this news could seem dire, right now we can hopefully hold onto the last remnants of our beloved Discord communities. Slowly, but surely, corporate greed may sink in, and we will lose 10 years of building together.

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2025-03-18 18:21

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