Discord is under fire again, surprising absolutely nobody. Following the user verification fiasco not too long ago, the platform has now incorrectly banned around 8000 accounts. In fairness, that's a very small number compared to Discord's more than 200 million monthly active users, but it was enough for the company to publicly address the issue on X.

The controversy began after one user (tallcowyt) highlighted what they claimed was a vulnerability in Discord's AI moderation system. According to the post, the system incorrectly identified any square grid image, including Minecraft inventories and even chessboards, as malicious content, resulting in permanent account bans for affected users.

Taking to X, Discord described what occurred, stating:

“Our systems flag content by matching it against known harmful material... similarity matching can produce false positives... a member of our Trust & Safety team always reviews flagged content before any action is taken”

It's hard to imagine someone reviewing the content and deciding that Minecraft inventories were worthy of a ban, but I digress.

The company also said "the intended behavior is to temporarily pause uploads during that review, not ban the account," but admitted, "We had a bug" that instead issued bans. It also said, "the same bug prevented the ban from being lifted automatically."

According to Discord, "Around 8,200 accounts were affected from May 2026 through last week, plus the 200 more this past weekend," adding, "We've unbanned everyone affected by this bug."

The company acknowledged the impact, saying, "We should have caught this sooner... We're working on better safeguards... and making sure our safety systems don't penalize people who did nothing wrong."

Discord is, of course, currently tied to Xbox Game Pass for those who have a Discord Nitro Subscription, as they're able to get Game Pass Starter edition alongside their subscription.

It is also worth mentioning that in spite of claims that Discord has reinstated everyone's account, the current post on X detailing the issue has a community note that states otherwise.

It is a strange bug, I have to admit, but at least Discord has addressed it and says everyone affected has now been unbanned. I use Discord daily myself, and thankfully, I haven't uploaded any images with checkered patterns, so I've managed to avoid any potential issues.

Still, it's easy to see why incidents like this shake users' confidence in automated moderation, even if they only affect a relatively small number of accounts.

Let me know if you've been impacted by this bug in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll above.

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Discord is now available as a native app on Snapdragon X-powered PCs. Before the native app rolled out, you could still use Discord on any PC running Windows on Arm, but you had to run the app through emulation or use your web browser. The native version of Discord should perform better on PCs like the ASUS Zenbook A16.

Discord has not officially announced the release of its Arm-native app, but you can download that version through Discord's official website. Neowin spotted the addition recently.

Since Discord is now Arm-native, it should run better on Windows on Arm PCs. Microsoft's Prism emulation has improved greatly over the years, but a native app is preferred to an emulated one.

A busy year for Discord

Considering that Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam handed the social market to Discord and people have remained on the platform, it's a good time for Discord to gain an Arm-native application.

It's a bit strange that we saw an unofficial way to use Discord on Windows Phone 7 this year before we got an official Arm-native version of Discord shipped to PCs, but now people have more ways to chat.

Discord came under fire back in February when it started requiring some users to verify their age to use the app. When age verification rolled out, searches for "Discord alternatives" spiked, but many found it difficult to switch to other apps.

Like X, Discord’s strength comes from the size of its community. Getting people to migrate away from Discord can be difficult.

Many have decided to stick with Discord. Microsoft has embraced Discord as well by adding Discord Nitro to a new tier of Xbox Game Pass.

Discord joining the growing list of Arm‑native apps is another sign that Windows on Arm is settling into its rhythm.

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Xbox Game Pass officially joins Discord Nitro as part of Xbox’s new tier, dubbed Starter Edition, which had previously leaked not too long ago. With this new tier, Discord Nitro subscribers will gain access to Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition, which includes access to more than 50 PC and console games, including titles like DayZ, Fallout 4, Grounded, Stardew Valley, and more.

In addition to this, Nitro members also get 10 hours of Xbox cloud gaming each month.

It’s great to see Xbox and Discord partnering up in this way, and alongside the partnership, Discord also revealed that members can get up to 30% off at Logitech G and 15% off at SteelSeries. Honestly, those are pretty decent discounts.

Back to what this means for us Xbox folks, Xbox also revealed that users can expect Discord Nitro benefits for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, something currently labeled as “coming soon.” There’s no concrete release date just yet, but it’s expected to arrive sometime this month, and Game Pass members can expect the following benefits:

• 250 Discord Orbs each month
• 1.2x extra Orbs when completing Discord Quests
• Automatically applied Discord Shop discounts

I must admit, though, this does feel a little underwhelming. Personally, I’d much rather see Xbox Game Pass subscribers get full Discord Nitro, including server boosts.

Alongside this, Discord has also rolled out new updates designed to make discovering and jumping into Game Pass titles much easier. Honestly, all of this just makes me think about what could have been if Microsoft’s now-closed streaming service, Mixer, were still around, and how well it could have worked alongside Game Pass as a discovery engine for new games.

Still, I digress, and I’d probably be here far longer than anyone would be comfortable with if I kept going on about Microsoft’s missed opportunities over the years.

With that said, let me know your thoughts on this partnership and whether you think it’s enough, or if you’d like to see even more from Xbox and Discord.

Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:

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If you’re like me, you’ll have fond memories of Windows Phone, followed by a bit of a gut punch when you remember what could have been. It had the potential to compete with the likes of Google and Apple, or at least carve out a solid niche, but it was ultimately left behind as Microsoft shifted focus.

I was gutted when Microsoft decided to axe it. Thankfully, fans are still out there keeping it alive in their own ways. If, like me, you use Discord daily, this is going to feel especially wild. A fan has managed to get the app working on the iconic Windows Phone 7 (via Reddit), which is as impressive as it is unexpected.

From what I can tell, there are two ways to do this. One is an app called 7evencord, which has just entered its first version in beta . The other is MetroCord, and both appear to work in different ways.

I wish I still had my Windows Phone lying around to test this out. I actually got sidetracked while writing this, browsing eBay for a pre-owned Windows Phone since my current phone is on its last legs, but I held off — for now.

It is worth mentioning that there are some risks involved, as Discord advises against using third-party clients, which both 7evencord and Metrocord technically are, so if you plan on trying any out, do so at your own risk.

Either way, it's honestly great to see Windows Phone still getting some love in 2026, even if it's coming from the remnants of its dedicated community. In fact, I even recently saw how someone else on Reddit shared TikTok running on a Windows Phone.

Do you still use a Windows Phone, or have you moved on?

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I recently explained how Xbox closing Social Clubs felt like part of a wider clean-up ahead of the next generation. In that, I explored what else could be on the chopping block, and briefly touched on something bigger.

Xbox, a platform that once thrived on social features, has quietly handed that over to Discord, a private company that can implement any changes they deem necessary. A platform that, lately, has been dealing with its own set of issues, from age-verification concerns to security breaches and eroding user trust.

Which raises a bigger question: Why have Xbox, PlayStation, and yes, even Steam, all ended up relying on Discord to handle something that used to be so central to all their own platforms? First, it’s important to lay out what’s actually happening.

On Xbox, integration with Discord is now built in, and with the recent removal of Social Clubs, that shift feels more intentional than ever. It was a feature with its fair share of issues, and one that may not have fit into Xbox’s broader push toward unifying with Windows.

That said, removing it doesn’t really benefit players. Instead, it leaves a gap where those communities used to exist, and in most cases, that gap is now being filled by Discord.

Looking at PlayStation, it’s the same pattern. Discord integration is now part of the PlayStation experience, while Communities were shut down in 2021, a year later, Discord came to the platform. Those who can’t build their social experiences within PlayStation’s ecosystem now have little choice but to go elsewhere.

It all points to the same broader trend across both companies, whereby platform holders are stepping back from directly managing social spaces.

On PC, things are a bit different. Steam still offers its own social features through Steam Groups, but in practice, many players default to Discord anyway, even when native tools are available.

It’s equally important to understand why these platforms stepped away from social features. As much as I want them back, the reality is they’re difficult to maintain and expensive to build, and that’s before even considering moderation, which comes with its own risks, no matter how it’s handled.

Even Discord has faced ongoing scrutiny over moderation, which shows just how complex this space really is.

Then there’s cross-platform play, which made platform-locked communities far less valuable. Discord stepped in and solved that problem, offering voice, text, and shared spaces that work across Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

It’s not that Xbox, PlayStation, or even Steam failed at social features, but instead that they chose to stop competing in that space. In essence, the trade-offs likely became too big for them to even consider trying to compete anymore.

All of this helped Discord become the default. People were already organizing communities there, and over time, even developers followed that same trend, creating official servers to share updates and gather feedback, which only reinforced Discord’s position as the default.

Now, of course, it’s great that players can gather together regardless of platform, but Discord isn’t just popular anymore; it’s become central to how people communicate across Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

The issue comes from the fact that Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam have no control over how Discord is handled. Some might see that as a positive, others less so.

Personally, I tend to be cautious when it comes to large corporations and how they operate, but the bigger point is that any decision Discord makes can affect everyone at once, whether that’s changes to monetization, new policies, or shifts in moderation.

We already have real examples of this. Discord has faced security issues in the past that exposed user data, and more recently, there’s been backlash around age verification, with concerns over privacy and how that data might be used.

At the same time, Xbox and PlayStation specifically are stepping back from social features, and it’s hard to ignore the timing. For example, Xbox removed Social Clubs just as Discord was facing backlash over privacy concerns, leaving users who had built communities with few real alternatives beyond a platform already under heavy scrutiny.

Even now, as I was writing this, Xbox and Discord have announced a new partnership, teasing what could likely be an even bigger collaboration between the two brands, teasing Game Pass flexibility. Whether it's Nitro included in Game Pass or some sort of cloud-based partnership like streaming your games directly in Discord, it's clear that Discord isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

With that said, ultimately, this shift leaves gaming in a strange place, where the social spaces that once defined platforms like Xbox and PlayStation now live almost entirely on Discord.

It works, it’s convenient, and for most players, it’s already the default, but it also means the experience is no longer controlled by the platforms themselves. That trade-off is easy to ignore now, but as Discord continues to evolve, it’s something that could shape how players connect across every platform moving forward.

Without repeating myself too much, I’d love to hear from you. Do you think Discord is a great solution, or do you find yourself concerned by the recent controversies and looking for alternatives?

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Xbox and Discord appear to be continuing their partnership. Since Discord first made its way to Xbox back in 2022, the platform has seen several collaborations with Discord’s Nitro subscription and Xbox Game Pass.

Even as recently as April 1, 2026, Xbox and Discord announced a new promotion where Game Pass Ultimate members are eligible for one month of Discord Nitro. There was a frustrating caveat, though, as existing members were not eligible.

Now, in a new post on X (formerly Twitter), Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has said that Discord and Xbox are “teaming up again.” On the surface, this likely just signals a continuation of the long-running partnership. However, Sharma says a bit more in her full post:

The mention of making Game Pass more flexible is particularly interesting. Xbox recently lowered the price of Game Pass, with the trade-off that Call of Duty is no longer included at launch and instead arrives a year later.

That said, the money saved from the price cut to Game Pass Ultimate is enough, with some change left over, to cover a yearly purchase of the newest Call of Duty.

Doubling down on making Game Pass more flexible is Discord's own CTO and Co-Founder, Stanislav, who took to X to share a similar message as Sharma.

There are also ongoing rumors about additional Game Pass tiers. These include a potential first-party-only option, and even speculation around a Netflix tie-in.

My colleague Jez Corden has also discussed the idea that Xbox could be exploring a build-your-own subscription model. If that happens, it could open the door to picking and choosing what your Game Pass subscription includes, and possibly even adding something like Discord Nitro in the future, if a model like that ever materializes, that is.

I’ll be interested to see what the “more details” in Sharma’s post actually lead to, but for now, it’s all just speculation.

On that note, I’d love to hear yours. Let me know what you think this could mean, whether it’s even something important, or if you just don’t care about Discord at all. As always, make sure you’ve taken part in our poll!

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In 2027, California’s Digital Age Assurance Act will require all operating system providers in the state, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux distros like SteamOS, to collect users’ age information during setup.

However, GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused Android-based operating system, indicated that it won't be party to emerging laws requiring mandatory age verification during setup (via Tom's Hardware).

Over the past few months, many platforms, including Discord, have introduced similar age verification measures aimed at protecting users from harmful or inappropriate content. However, these efforts have sparked outrage and backlash, with users now seeking less intrusive alternatives that do not subject them to unnecessary monitoring or data harvesting.

The platform issued a statement shortly after Brazil's Digital ECA (Law 15.211) took effect on March 17. Consequently, operating system providers that haven't implemented age verification checks on their platforms can now be fined up to R$50 million (roughly $9.5 million) per violation.

For context, the GrapheneOS Foundation, a registered Canadian nonprofit, develops GrapheneOS. As such, none of these imposed age verification policies directly impact GrapheneOS, but it's still unclear how far the rule of law could stretch its hand in terms of jurisdiction.

Elsewhere, GrapheneOS and Motorola announced a long-term partnership at MWC (via Android Central) on March 2, extending the operating system's grip beyond Google Pixel phones. What's more, a GrapheneOS-powered Motorola phone could be in the pipeline for 2027.

According to GrapheneOS:

"We have an official partnership with Motorola with a lot of progress being made rather than that only being a possibility. We aren't going to support devices not meeting our security requirements or not providing proper support for using another OS."

That said, it doesn't seem far-fetched that these age checks might eventually become mandatory worldwide. In February, the UK's Online Safety Act was implemented on Xbox, locking thousands out of features until they completed the verification process.

Is Windows already compliant with the age verification checks?

Age verification is not a new phenomenon in the Windows ecosystem, as users are already required to provide their date of birth during the Microsoft Account setup process. However, Microsoft pledged to improve the general user sentiment around Windows 11 by addressing some of the major pain points across the operating system.

Some of the changes could include scrapping the mandatory Microsoft account when setting up a new PC. Microsoft Vice President Scott Hanselman, who is responsible for improving Windows 11's quality, indicated that his team will work on the issue.

In that sense, you can technically bypass the age verification checks in the Windows ecosystem. It'll be interesting to see how Microsoft handles the situation, especially if age verification checks become mandatory worldwide.

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Well, this isn't what I was expecting to write about today: recently, an issue with 2025's juggernaut extraction shooter ARC Raiders was discovered that led to the game silently recording private DM messages between Discord users.

The issue in question first came to light when computer engineer Timothy D. Meadows reported its existence in a blog post, explaining how ARC Raiders logged player DMs in detail. "During gameplay of ARC Raiders, private Discord Direct Message (DM) conversations between two users were found being written in plaintext to a local game log file," he wrote.

"Additionally, a full Discord Bearer authentication token was found stored in the same log file. These findings represent serious privacy and security violations that affect all players using Discord integration with the game," he added. He then went on to note that these DM logs could theoretically be included in crash or bug report uploads, accessible by other local applications, or visible to third parties with "access to the machine."

Meadows' investigation highlights the fact that this is an issue with the ARC Raiders Discord software development kit (SDK) specifically, and has only affected people who chose to link their Discord with the extraction shooter. Note that you can unlink it in your Discord's settings.

The discovery of this bizarre — and concerning, for obvious reasons — message recording prompted developer Embark Studios to quickly announce an inbound hotfix for the issue on Thursday morning, noting that the Discord SDK logged "excessive user information." It's also assured players that their data was never sent off their local system, and that "a deeper audit" is underway.

"The team is also working on a hotfix to address an issue where the Discord SDK logged excessive user information. Rest assured that your private and/or personal data was not sent outside your machine and Embark has not (and will not) review or keep such information," the developers wrote on the ARC Raiders Discord. "We will disable the Discord SDK logging and are conducting a deeper audit to ensure no further issues. If you have questions or concerns, please contact our support team."

While it's good news that Embark is quickly fixing this problem, it's quite shocking that such a major breach of privacy even occurred in the first place. Worse yet, users didn't even know their messages were being scraped until now, as the issue was only just recently discovered.

If you have your ARC Raiders account linked to your Discord or had it linked previously, I strongly recommend checking your system for a log of your DMs and deleting it. Meadows says it will be found in the C:\Users\AppData\Local\PioneerGame\Saved\Logs folder, so be sure to have a look there.

It's worth noting that Discord itself is going through some controversies regarding user privacy and data right now, with the app recently announcing plans to assume everyone is a teen by default and require age verification for access to all features. Backlash to this policy — and plans for facial age estimation and government ID verification in particular — was so strong that Discord has delayed it until later this year, and completely reworked its approach.

Seriously, check for that log file!

Now, I'm not saying that there was any malicious intent here, or that Embark Studios was intentionally scraping your Discord DMs. But even so, you should look for and delete that log file ASAP if you have your accounts for ARC Raiders and Discord linked. I'm curious to hear from you, though: has this made you rethink linking your Discord with the games you play? Let me know in the comments.

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Discord has been busy performing damage control in response to the backlash it received after announcing a global rollout of age verification measures. You know, the same measures with ties to a vendor funded by Peter Thiel. Implemented by the same company that saw the age ID information of 70,000 users get leaked last year.

Fearing unnecessary monitoring and data harvesting, many of Discord's users have expressed that they're ready to leave the platform, and that includes a majority of Windows Central readers we polled.

Just one day after the official announcement from Discord on February 9, searches for "Discord alternatives" spiked by 10,000% in Google overnight. It seemed like Stoat (which you might recognize by its old name, Revolt) had the most to gain, with search gains of its own topping 9,900%.

It's clear that many Discord users are searching for proper alternatives where they can not only communicate over voice chat but also create a community of like-minded friends and acquaintances. I'm in the same boat; although I'd never be considered a Discord power user, it's the app I've been using for years when gaming with friends.

I decided to back up my words with actions, and I spent a chunk of my weekend searching for the perfect Discord alternative for not only myself but also the friends with whom I regularly game.

Why is it so hard to find a real Discord alternative?

The process proved to be more involved than I expected. It turns out that Discord is (or was) extremely popular for a reason. There's not an app out there right now that can act as a drop-in replacement with regards to screen sharing, communities, and customization, especially if you want a product that doesn't keep track of everything you're saying and doing.

Most direct competitors are still way behind Discord in terms of features, while others focus on different strengths. Some are free, some are paid. And some require you to have some knowledge of hosting your own server, especially if you want to operate as securely as possible.

I ran through a list of Discord alternatives, including Stoat, Matrix, Root, Mumble, and TeamSpeak, and I came out the other side less certain of where I was headed next than before I started.

Root seems like the logical choice, especially because it's almost identical to Discord, yet there are some concerns regarding privacy, and it's not open source.

Stoat is open-source and focuses on privacy, especially thanks to its self-hosting abilities. However, not everyone wants to host their own server, and a lot of features still need polish.

Matrix Element is sort of in the same boat, with strong privacy, security, and self-hosting, but an undercooked set of features, depending on the client used, might sour some impressions.

TeamSpeak or Mumble? Sure, they're great, but they mainly focus on voice chat. Why wouldn't I use Signal, which most people I already know have on their phone/PC, instead?

👉 TeamSpeak is back and ready to fight Discord for the PC community app crown

There are plenty more "Discord alternatives" that I've yet to install and test out. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like any of them make a stronger argument for adoption than the stuff I've tested.

My small community of friends and family who game together only numbers about 20, but even at that size, it's proving tough to come to an agreement on where to go next. I can't imagine the stress that larger communities are experiencing right now as they receive pressure from members to make a switch.

Is it worth waiting for Discord's dust to settle before making a change?

Most of the people I game with don't really care enough about age verification or content monitoring to actively be searching for a change, and it's tough to pitch an alternative that can't do everything that Discord can do. Especially when we already have years of momentum going on the platform. The best app is the one that everyone is using, after all.

And so, despite spending a couple of days looking for the perfect Discord alternative, it looks like I'll continue using the controversial service for the foreseeable future.

Discord has hundreds of millions of active users (nearing 600 million registered users), a userbase built on years of brand recognition and maintained with billions of dollars of investments. Not everyone likes Discord's recent policy changes, and for good reason, but a lack of an ideal alternative and an indifference to privacy is a powerful combination.

Despite a lot of posturing and outrage showing up online since Discord made its global age verification announcement, I won't be surprised if the platform's pool of active users doesn't actually shrink by a meaningful margin once the fallout dies down.

What do you think about Discord alternatives?

Have you found a perfect Discord alternative? What's it called, and why do you like it so much? Let me know in the comments section!

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Discord, the extremely popular and free-to-use communication app that's been a mainstay for gamers and other communities for over a decade, has announced that it's delaying the global rollout for its age verification requirements and "Teen-by-Default" policy until "the second half of 2026," meaning the update won't come until the start of July at the earliest.

The news — delivered by chief technology officer Stanislav Vishnevskiy in a new blog post — comes after weeks of widespread scathing backlash from users around the world, and after searches for "Discord alternatives" surged 10,000%. Clearly, many aren't comfortable with the idea of submitting videos of themselves or their government-issued ID to prove they're not a teen so they can continue accessing age-restricted channels.

Despite assurances from Discord that personal data never leaves your device and is deleted immediately once your age is verified, trust in the platform is at an all-time low after a hack exposed the personal data of 70,000 users last October. Discord no longer works with the third-party vendor responsible, but even so, it's easy to see why users are skeptical of its security.

Discord also recently cut ties with Persona, a verification software used by Roblox and Reddit that's backed by Peter Thiel after connections to U.S. government surveillance were discovered. Discord says it ran a test with Persona in the UK only in January, and decided to drop it afterwards.

Discord has noted that for the full rollout of its age requirements later this year will utilize "non-identifying systems" that only verify your age and not your identity, including credit card verification. You may also not need to verify at all, as Discord has an "internal system that works to accurately determine your age." This, Discord says, will cover "90%+ of users."

To comply with specific age verification laws currently in effect in the UK and Australia and soon coming to Brazil, though, Discord has to rely on facial age estimation and/or ID checks in these regions specifically.

It's also promised to completely document every verification vendor it works with on its website, and says users will have multiple vendors to choose from, with Discord promising to make it clear "who each vendor is, what method they use, and how they handle your data."

Discord says "Every vendor we work with goes through a security and privacy review before integration," and explains that this includes "contractual limits on data use, and strict retention and deletion requirements." Any information submitted for verification is "stored only for the minimum time necessary, which in most cases means it's deleted immediately."

Ultimately, the move away from facial age estimation and ID checks wherever possible is a clear step in the right direction, though it's unfortunate that region-specific laws are forcing Discord to use these verification methods in certain countries. Still, a win is a win.

"We've made mistakes. I won't pretend we haven't. And I know that being a bigger company now means our mistakes have bigger consequences and erode trust faster. I don't expect one blog post to fix that," Vishnevskiy wrote. "Trust is earned through actions over time: shipping the things we promised, owning it when we miss the mark, and giving you real control over your own experience."

"We’re listening. We'll get this right. And when we ship, you'll be able to see for yourselves," he added.

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It's been about 10 days since Discord revealed that it would be implementing its controversial age verification and "Teen-by-Default" stance globally after a test run in the UK and Australia. The news was met with a severe backlash from its massive community.

Users flooded social channels like Reddit and X with posts talking about canceled Nitro subscriptions, deleted accounts, and Discord alternatives, causing Discord to go into damage control mode.

The company was quick to offer clarification on the new rules; not every user would be forced to submit a government ID or a facial scan to be considered an adult. Not because of any sort of trust, but because Discord's background monitoring could already determine "with high confidence" who is an adult and who is underage.

It's well worth pointing out that this update on X received a Community Note exposing Discord's decision to use Persona as an age verification vendor, which has ties to Peter Thiel of Palantir notoriety. Persona indeed receives and retains data despite what Discord claims — more on that in a moment.

A majority of Windows Central readers are searching for a Discord alternative

The backlash, in my opinion, was deserved, and I know I'm not alone. I ran a poll at the end of my original news story about global Discord age verification, asking whether or not Windows Central readers would be switching to an alternative voice chat and socializing platform.

Out of more than 200 responses, 59% voted Yes, with another 27% coming in as a Maybe. That leaves 15% of readers who say they're sticking with Discord no matter what.

I wrote a follow-up story covering the fact that searches for "Discord alternatives" spiked 10,000% overnight following the age verification news, noting that Stoat — an open-source chat platform akin to Discord — saw a 9,900% rise in searches in the same period.

Most of the comments on the article explained reasons for leaving, with some offering alternatives of which they're most fond.

In a separate poll attached to the search news, 48% of polled Windows Central readers agree that Stoat looks like the best alternative, with Matrix and TeamSpeak garnering 15% and 14% of the votes, respectively.

TeamSpeak has publicly stated that it's receiving an "incredible surge of new users" and is working on expanding its availability in key regions, so I can't imagine what Stoat is going through considering it seems like the more popular choice.

Discord and its newfound ties to Peter Thiel

The outrage from Discord's community regarding age verification is anything but baseless. Discord was subject to a data breach of about 70,000 credentials last year, including IDs and facial scans.

Discord believed it could distance itself from security concerns by claiming it had switched to a different age verification vendor that doesn't retain data, but it was quickly discovered that this wasn't entirely true. The new vendor, Persona, is indirectly funded by Peter Thiel, who founded Palantir, an AI-powered data surveillance juggernaut. That may or may not be a big deal in your world.

The bigger problem? Persona clearly states that it retains data it receives, flying in the face of Discord's claims. According to Kotaku, Discord has stated that its use of Persona was a "limited test" that has now concluded. Will it continue working with the vendor? Your guess is as good as mine.

Discord is undeniably in a tough spot. It believes age verification is necessary to safeguard its younger users, but the way it's being handled is anything but smooth. It's not an enviable position, and it will be interesting to see how the situation plays out.

Share your thoughts about Discord's age verification drama

Think the outrage over Discord's age verification stance is warranted? Think it's a necessary step for a company with so many users? Have you found the perfect alternative? I want to hear about it in the comments section!

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Xbox Social Clubs was a feature introduced to help players meet like-minded people. It allowed users to chat, play games, and share content within dedicated spaces, effectively giving them the tools to build their own communities.

However, starting in April 2026, Xbox will shut down Social Clubs across Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

Xbox hasn't really provided a detailed explanation for the decision, though it has pointed players toward alternatives such as Discord integration, party chat, messaging, and Looking for Group features.

What happens to existing clubs and communities?

According to Xbox, Official Clubs are not currently affected by this change. Users can still access Official Clubs accessed through an individual game’s Game Card.

Community-created clubs, however, will close in April 2026. That includes the removal of the Clubs tab from the Friends and Community Updates tab.

If you still want to find like-minded players, Looking for Group remains available. It allows you to post sessions, set requirements, and join existing groups. Xbox also points players toward features like party chat, messaging, and Discord integration to stay connected.

For sharing content, the activity feed will remain active. Players can continue posting game clips, screenshots, and achievements there or share them to external social platforms.

Clubs may have been a niche feature, but it is still disappointing to see it go. For the players who relied on it, it offered a simple way to build and maintain small communities.

At the time of writing, it is unclear whether existing club content will remain accessible after the shutdown. If you have posts, screenshots, or shared media you want to keep, it may be worth saving copies now, just in case that content is eventually removed.

Did you ever use Xbox Social Clubs, or have you already moved your communities elsewhere? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and make sure to take part in our poll below:

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Update February 11, 2026: Discord has provided an update via X with more information about its new "Teen-by-Default" stance. All users will not be required to submit age verification, as Discord's monitoring system can already determine "with high confidence" who is an adult. This post received a Community Note reminding users of the 2025 data breach containing thousands of government IDs.

Discord has long been one of the largest and most popular platforms for keeping in contact with your gaming group, but its popularity was dealt a massive blow on February 9 when the company announced it would be rolling out age verification measures globally and for all users.

Since the news broke, there's been plenty of noise online. Discord users are not happy with the proposed change that treats everyone like a child, and they're less impressed with the fact that you need to hand over sensitive data in order to once again be treated like an adult on the platform.

Discord users aren't just expressing their frustration online; they're also searching for an escape hatch. Over the last 48 hours, searches for "Discord alternatives" in the US have jumped by roughly 10,000% compared to the average from the past month.

Searches for "Delete Discord" have also doubled month over month, while the names of top Discord alternatives have also seen a meteoric rise.

Stoat, which is the new name for Revolt, has seen the biggest search gains in the past 48 hours, jumping about 9,900% with another 4,100% for the old Revolt name. Stoat is an open-source chat platform that focuses on privacy, which is something that's quickly disappearing in Discord.

Matrix has also seen a significant 2,133% rise in search volume, with IRC gaining 1,500% and Mumble gaining 1,000%.

Discord's controversial "Teen-by-Default" stance and age verification

Beginning in March 2026, Discord will automatically assume that all users, regardless of account age or any communities to which you're already a member, are teenagers over the age of 13 but under the age of 18.

Once your account is automatically switched over to the "Teen-by-Default" setting, you'll no longer be able to access age-restricted channels, unblur sensitive content, or receive messages from anyone other than friends.

If you, like me, are an adult who uses Discord, you'll have to prove your age with a facial scan or by providing a government ID. As I noted in my coverage of the original Discord "Teen-by-Default" announcement, handing over sensitive information to a company that just last year was involved in a massive data breach isn't something I'm comfortable with.

It certainly appears that I'm not alone in that sentiment, and Discord could be in big trouble when it enables age verification, tested in the UK and Australia, for all users around the world.

(via SupportMy.website)

Are you also searching for an alternative to Discord? Where do you think you'll end up? Let me know in the comments section!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Update February 11, 2026: Discord has provided an update via X as to what its new "Teen-by-Default" stance really means.

Discord says it will not require everyone to have their faces scanned or their ID uploaded. "The vast majority of people" will be able to use Discord as they do now without any age confirmation requests.

Discord already has systems running in the background that monitor users, and it believes "with high confidence" that its age prediction model is accurate.

Additionally, Discord reiterates that facial scans don't leave your device. IDs are viewed and then deleted. And your full identity is "never associated with your account."

It's worth noting that this post on X has received Community Notes with a reminder that "despite Discord claiming to not hold personal information, they still had thousands of government IDs stolen in recent data breaches."

Original article:

Discord is one of the largest and most popular community-focused social platforms around, and although it was created with gamers in mind, it has evolved into a space for education, creativity, and general socializing.

By some estimates, approximately 28% of all teens use Discord in some capacity, and Discord has now taken a new step to protect those users from what it deems to be harmful or inappropriate content.

Announced February 9, 2026, Discord users of all ages and nationalities are about to be hit with a new "Teen-by-Default" setting when the phased rollout begins in early March.

What this move does is effectively lock all users, new and existing, into what Discord calls a "teen appropriate experience" consisting of "updated communication settings, restricted access to age-gated spaces, and content filtering that preserves the privacy and meaningful connections that define Discord."

If you'd like to remove yourself from the teen lockdown, you'll have to prove your age, no matter how long you've been using your Discord account. Failing to do so will result in certain age-restricted channels, content, and messages from appearing.

I personally hate the idea of handing over sensitive documents to a company, especially one that has been affected by a major data breach that exposed the personal data of some 70,000 Discord users. I'm not alone in that sentiment, and the VPN usage spike in the UK when age verification laws were implemented is proof.

Nevertheless, Discord highlights some key privacy protections related to the global age verification rollout. If you choose to provide a video selfie, the data is said to "never leave a user's device." If you decide to provide government ID to Discord's vendor partners, the data is "deleted quickly."

Discord says that multiple forms of verification may be required. Worse, it also says it has a new "age inference model" that is always running in the background, analyzing your account for patterns belonging to an adult user to help prevent unnecessary manual age checks.

The fervor around age verification ramped up last year when UK and Australian laws forced the likes of Xbox, Discord, Reddit, and many more to begin scanning government-issued IDs, faces, and even credit checks for proof of age.

This global rollout is the next step in Discord's age verification process, which it believes will create "meaningful, long term wellbeing for teens on the platform," according to Discord's Head of Product Policy at Discord, Savannag Badalich.

Speaking with The Verge, Badalich says the company expects to see some users quit Discord entirely due to the new global age verification standard, noting that "we'll find other ways to bring users back." On the subject of last year's data breach, Badalich claims Discord stopped using the third-party vendor and has cleaned up what data it keeps.

Do you think age verification methods for apps like Discord are necessary? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments section!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

As everyone predicted, the UK's dumb age verification laws are a total farce.

Designed in attempts to "protect children," the UK's now notorious age verification laws are supposedly designed to prevent underaged users from accessing adult content. In practice, they've unleashed a multi-pronged privacy nightmare. Major websites like Imgur are now blocked entirely in the UK, reducing the functionality of sites like reddit and Steam. And furthermore, the laws aren't even able to "protect muh kids" because free VPNs exist.

But, it is the law, for better or worse (worse). It also represents something of a trend across the world, as various U.S. states and other countries have either already adopted age verification systems, or are exploring it. As such, major players like Microsoft are scrambling to accommodate the legislation for Xbox and its other platforms, utilizing a variety of third-party services to make it work. At least, make it work in theory.

Over the past few weeks, it emerged that Discord, one of the earliest tech companies to implement these types of laws, was hacked. It failed to protect the data of users utilizing its age verification services. Indeed, Discord's third-party processor was hacked, and government IDs and selfies of users trying to get support were leaked to the public domain. It's almost as if anyone with a brain said something like this would happen.

I couldn't help but wonder what would stop Xbox running short of a situation like this, given that Xbox too, is planning to use a third-party company to handle its age verification systems. So, I thought I'd reach out and see how Xbox plans to handle things.

Microsoft is using a third-party company called Yoti for its age verification systems on Xbox, a company that is also leveraged by the UK government, sites like OnlyFans, as well as PlayStation.

The way Yoti and other similar platforms work generally revolves either around scanning a government ID, or using your device's camera to estimate the user's age. The "age estimation" via camera was notoriously beaten by Death Stranding's photo mode, but companies are always iterating on workarounds.

I already verified my Xbox account's age using the system, and found it to be quick and painless. You can verify your Xbox account's age via this link. From early in 2026, certain Xbox features and age-restricted games may become inaccessible for UK users if you don't verify soon. But, how does it work? Are your pictures stored? Yoti says no.

"Yoti provides highly effective age assurance options for Xbox, allowing users to prove their age without revealing unnecessary personal information," a Yoti spokesperson told us. "Yoti simply returns a yes/no response to [Microsoft], to confirm whether the user meets the required age threshold."

"Yoti's technology is highly robust and independently tested by the likes of NIST and others. Privacy and security are central to everything they do and solutions are built to minimise data collection and ensure user privacy. Any images taken for facial age estimation are instantly deleted, nothing is stored."

The reason Discord ended up leaking user data was because the support service it was using actually was storing people's data. Yoti says it immediately removes all personal data once it has satisfied the age requirement, and that's the only information that is eventually sent and then stored on your Microsoft account. Yoti also shared this Yoti Age Estimation White Paper for users who want to learn more.

Microsoft also sought to assure us that no actual data is stored, besides the "yes/no" age verifier.

"We are committed to making sure player data stays private and secure," a Microsoft spokesperson explained. "We are partnering with Yoti, a trusted third-party identity verification provider, to give UK players a menu of options to securely verify their age as 18 or over while minimizing the data needed. Yoti simply returns a yes/no response to Xbox, does not share any of the player's underlying information, and immediately deletes the data upon verification."

Given Yoti's government-grade contracts it's most likely a more secure solution than Discord's, but whether or not you feel reassured by the above depends on your mileage. It doesn't alleviate the fact that it's a silly, ineffectual law, but it is the law nonetheless, and Microsoft, PlayStation, and others, have to comply whether they like it or not.

As reported on by the BBC, on September 20, 2025, a third-party provider called 5CA was compromised. The company supports Discord’s customer service and age verification appeals.

The breach lasted 58 hours, and is believed to be carried out by the groups known as Scattered Spider, LAPSUS$ and ShinyHunters. Discord confirmed the incident on October 2, 2025, stating that around 70,000 users were affected worldwide.

What data was exposed — and what wasn’t

From this breach, hackers managed to obtain several types of data, including:

• Government-issued IDs such as passports and driver’s licenses
• Emails, full names, usernames, and contact details
• Limited billing data, payment types used, last four digits of card numbers, and purchase history
• IP addresses, customer support messages, and internal training documentation

Fortunately for users, full credit card numbers, CVV codes, passwords, and private messages were not compromised.

Hackers initially claimed to have obtained over one million IDs, but Discord refuted this, confirming that around 70,000 IDs were stolen.

While that number is still significant, the incident raises larger concerns about the growing use of mandatory age verification systems. In the UK, for instance, such checks are now required across many websites.

Personally, I find this approach troubling — it risks pushing younger users toward unsafe sites that don’t require ID, or encouraging the use of VPNs to bypass restrictions.

Hackers’ ransom demands and Discord’s response

Hackers demanded a ransom from Discord, initially asking for $5 million before lowering it to $3.5 million. Discord refused to pay, with negotiations reportedly taking place between September 25 and October 2, 2025.

In a statement, the company said, “We will not reward those responsible for their illegal actions.” Since then, Discord has revoked 5CA’s access, launched an internal investigation, and notified the relevant authorities.

If your data was affected, Discord has sent an email notification to impacted users. These messages come from noreply@discord.com, so it’s worth checking your inbox if you’ve submitted ID verification details.

Why this breach matters for age verification laws

Unfortunately, this kind of situation could become the norm as more countries, including the UK, now require users to verify their ages under new online safety laws. In the UK, the Online Safety Act came into full effect in July 2025, making age verification mandatory across many platforms.

In this case, Discord’s age verification appeals system was the specific target. Users flagged as underage were asked to submit government ID photos to confirm their age. These manual submissions were handled by 5CA, a third-party vendor, not Discord itself.

That distinction doesn’t make it less concerning. Privacy remains one of the main reasons people oppose mandatory ID checks. Personally, I don’t mind sharing my ID when it’s my choice — but being forced to hand it over feels wrong. For UK users like me, that lack of choice leaves a sour taste.

As far as I’m aware, this is the first major attack tied directly to age verification infrastructure, and it comes just months after such systems were introduced. It’s a worrying start to what could become a global problem. We were lucky that payment information wasn’t compromised this time, but it raises a serious question — how long until that happens? Even without it, the idea that hackers now possess thousands of government-issued IDs and IP addresses is deeply unsettling.

As of October 10, 2025, Discord is still working with law enforcement. So far, the stolen data has not been released publicly, though the hackers have threatened to publish it if their demands aren’t met.

I think I’ve made my stance on our online safety–driven future clear, but I’d be interested to know how others feel and if opinions have changed from our last poll on the topic. Is this trade-off worth it? Privacy may be becoming a thing of the past, but in theory, it’s meant to offer better protection for users online. For now, it remains to be seen whether companies — including Discord — can truly keep that data secure.

Discord has a new in-app currency that you can earn by completing quests. Those quests, which often will require you to watch ads or stream specific games, will earn you "Orbs." Discord Orbs can then be exchanged for cosmetic items, Nitro, and other content.

I confess that when I first saw a headline about Discord Orbs, I assumed the rewards would be strictly cosmetic. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that you can exchange Discord Orbs for Discord Nitro.

Discord Nitro is a paid subscription for Discord that unlocks capabilities within the app. Subscribers gain access to custom emojis and super reactions.

Nitro Basic ($2.99 per month) includes 50MB uploads. The full Nitro plan ($9.99 per month) offers 500MB uploads, HD video streaming, two server boosts, custom profiles, and other perks.

I don't think you'll be able to avoid paying for Nitro altogether by watching ads and completing other quests, but it's nice that Discord's new reward system can be redeemed for something people pay real-world money for.

At minimum, it seems like you could use Discord Orbs to pay for a short period of Nitro and see if the subscription is worth real-world cash.

Our colleagues at PC Gamer spoke with Discord Senior Vice President of Product Petter Sellis about Discord Orbs. Specifically, Sellis mentioned the fact that you can get Nitro by exchanging Orbs:

"Nitro is the most well-understood, valuable thing on Discord, so we felt like if we were offering virtual rewards and they weren't redeemable for Nitro, we were not giving users what they actually want."

That seems like a fair assessment. I think the first thing many people will ask when hearing about the currency is, “Can I use Discord Orbs to get Nitro?”

Sellis noted to PC Gamer that Discord has "a lot of control over the Orbs economy right now," so the company can adjust exchange rates and reward options dynamically. The VP discussed a balance of making quests worth it without threatening Discord's Nitro-focused business model.

As much as Orbs provide a way for everyday users to earn rewards, they're also a method of engagement for advertisers.

Rather than relying on their own reward system that needs to be managed, advertisers can have campaigns that center around Discord Orbs.

Discord Orbs are rolling out to a small group of users now.

TeamSpeak is a long-lost beloved of mine. While my journey in online communications began with a little old service called Ventrillo in 2001, it's TeamSpeak that captured the hearts of millions across World of Warcraft raid groups, Arma 3, and even FiveM servers. An icon of the past, TeamSpeak has been quietly hiding in the shadows, watching Discord rise in fame. So high even Microsoft tried to buy them. Now, TeamSpeak looks to strike.

On January 18, the TeamSpeak X account made a splash when they teased a total overhaul of the client and service. A new, dashing look with features like screen sharing, multi-streaming, community skin designs, and more has now officially launched!

The new TeamSpeak

So what's new? (Outside of the quick answer, everything)

• Community skins for client
• Revamped member profiles
• Screen share
  • 1440p/Source streaming
  • Camera streaming
  • 60 FPS
  • Customizable bitrate
• Client design overhaul – a refreshed, sleek look that enhances the overall experience.
• Communities – directly purchase your own TeamSpeak server through myTS.
  • Servers purchased through communities can be added to the Public Server Directory
• Added font family option in dev settings for custom client fonts.
• Added channel user previews with avatars when a channel is collapsed.
• Added translations for server-provided error messages.

Call me a sucker, but this has me hook, line, and sinker. I already bought a server for my friends to use. It's been years, but I yearn for the sweet audio of "User has been banned from your channel" to ring through my ears. I need it injected straight into my soul.

Years ago, this was my go-to until the inevitable happened: everyone swapped over to Discord. How could you not? It has video sharing, easy-to-set-up servers, integration with consoles, and, most importantly, it's free. What about TeamSpeak?

Can TeamSpeak take on Discord?

Short answer: probably not. Long answer: TeamSpeak needs to make more adjustments or sound PR statements before we see users willing to leap from Discord. While the overhaul is a significant stepping stone, Discord's free user experience and ease of use are still king in the eyes of the general public.

For starters, let's get the pricing model out of the way. Discord and all of its basic features are free for any user to take advantage of. If you want to do something that involves premium features like expansive file sharing, animated avatars, or streaming at anything above 720p 30 FPS, then you need Discord Nitro. Nitro costs $9.99 for the premium plan or $2.99 for the basic, which doesn't do much besides allowing you to use emojis everywhere and slightly increasing your file-sharing cap.

As for Teamspeak, users can set up a community that can host 1440p/source streaming at 60 FPS with a custom bitrate and viewer numbers. Players can change their icons depending on the server owner's allowance, not for a price to be paid by a simple TeamSpeak client user. All of this is free for everyone but the server owners themselves, meaning that for the highest price of $8.99 (a 27-simultaneous slot server), everyone has access to high-quality streaming and other functions of the server. You don't have to pay per user; you only pay per server.

Discord can't beat that in terms of pricing. Heck, when TeamSpeak was in its heyday, TeamSpeak server owners would set up donation pools where anyone could donate a set amount of money toward server upkeep. It could only be used toward the payment of the server itself, which led to servers being paid for years in advance. That's still around today and way cheaper than anything like Boost on Discord.

TeamSpeak currently falls short in terms of user experience. Uploading images isn't entirely straightforward at times, and I hit snags right off the bat. Banner images are made using links rather than direct uploads, so the channels you see in the images above were all hosted on a free account using Imageshack. After uploading, you can grab the link and place it in the banner URL slot to be displayed.

If I want to see chats between channels, I need to completely switch to the other channel to see the text chat. That means leaving your current voice channel to see what's happening in the chat, something Discord has had for years. Unless I missed the instructions somewhere on how to look, which, if I did, only furthers my argument that the client's usability still needs some additional tweaks.

With all that said, TeamSpeak is finally putting up a fight against Discord, a fight I thought was long over. Then again, maybe it is, and all of this is too little too late. Time will tell, but for this guy, he's already on board. Here's to a TeamSpeak comeback!

How about you? Have you ever used TeamSpeak or another VOIP? Let us know below in the comments or on social media. I'll check out the discussion and join in where I see fit.

If you're looking to download the new TeamSpeak experience, head to their official website for the download.

What you need to know

• Xbox's Insider Program is an opportunity for users to test new games and features while providing feedback that shapes the console's future.
• The latest update for users on the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring introduced several new features and bug fixes.
• One notable newly introduced feature allows users to connect to direct voice chats via Discord directly from Xbox's Parties and Chat tab.

A new update for Xbox Insiders on the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring rolled out today, including a notable improvement for Discord.

The Xbox Insider program allows console users to test out new features before they hit the operating system for widespread use, giving Xbox's development teams a chance to squash bugs and tweak new features based on actual player feedback. The program is divided into various rings, each gaining access to features in varied states of stability.

Release notes for the latest Xbox Update Preview rolled out today alongside a new system update that brings the operator system up to version XB_FLT_2411GE/26100.2843.241021-2200 for Xbox Insiders who are in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring. Among the patch notes was the announcement that Direct Voice Chats through Discord would be included with the new update.

Alpha Skip-Ahead ring users who download the new update will be able to open the Xbox guide by pressing the Guide button on their controller and navigate to the "Parties & chats" tab. Then, select Discord and choose Direct Voice Chats to find a list of direct message channels that are joinable from the Xbox console. Currently, users are only able to use Discord voice channels from servers they are a part of, but this change will allow peer-to-peer calling without requiring a server with a voice channel.

Features in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring are typically a little more buggy and unstable than features that hit the Delta ring, for example. Users who are accepted into the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring are typically those who Xbox's team knows it can trust for critical feedback on bugs and features. They have worked their way up through the program by providing high-quality feedback and participating in playtests and surveys before receiving an invitation to the ring.

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The new operating system, which Alpha Skip-Ahead users will be required to update to no later than 3:00 AM PT on October 24, also included new options for mapping Xbox Elite Wireless Series 2 and Adaptive Controller thumbsticks to button, mouse, or keyboard inputs. This new feature gives users the freedom to use their controllers for keyboard and mouse inputs in games that support them. Users can create a new profile or edit an existing one in the Xbox accessories app to map their inputs.

Various bug fixes, focused primarily on local language support across the console, are also included in the update. Some known issues, such as mapping mouse input requiring you to restart your controller and the wrong input being displayed when controller thumbsticks are mapped to mouse input, are persistent but are under investigation without a solution at this time.

Because of the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring's more critical nature in playtesting, it is unlikely that the new Discord calls will make it to public release before early 2025.

What you need to know

• Members of the Xbox Insider Program have been testing advanced Discord features on Xbox for a while, allowing users to watch streamed gameplay directly from their consoles. 
• As part of the Xbox August 2024 update, this feature is leaving testing and is rolling out for everyone. 
• Xbox players can also choose what to install when downloading a game on Xbox or PC, giving more control over the optional elements in relevant games like Call of Duty titles.

After spending some time in testing, previously announced Discord improvements are rolling out for all Xbox players. 

As shared via Xbox Wire on Wednesday, the Xbox August 2024 update is rolling out across consoles, bringing a couple of major updates to how Discord functionality works on Xbox Series X|S. These features were first announced back in July, and have been tested by players in the Xbox Insider Program. Now, players on Xbox can directly watch a Discord stream from their console by hopping in and joining their friend.

Another big addition sees players able to chat with each other through Discord on Xbox without any app. As long as your Discord and Xbox accounts are properly linked, you'll be good to go.

Outside of Discord, players are also getting more granular control when choosing what to install on their Xbox consoles or PC via the Microsoft Store. When dealing with a game that has multiple optional installs, such as a recent Call of Duty title, players can pick and choose which separate bits to install, instead of everything being installed all at once by default.

Looking ahead, Xbox players can look forward to button toggling, which was previously announced alongside a suite of accessibility-focused devices. This feature is currently in testing for players signed up to the Xbox Insider Program.

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Analysis: Some great platform improvements

I've been happy using Discord on my Xbox Series X, but there's simply no denying that dealing with transferring calls could get a little annoying. Eliminating that tedium is a big improvement, and a great way to ensure cross-platform game chats are viable, considering Discord's presence on Windows PC and PlayStation consoles. 

I'm also happy that we will have more control over what to install immediately in the future. This is definitely far more relevant to Call of Duty games than most other titles, but it's still a useful feature.

What you need to know

• Discord is one of the most popular communication platforms in the world, especially for gamers. Nearly two years ago, it was officially integrated with Microsoft's Xbox consoles, allowing Xbox users to voice chat with their friends on Discord.
• Now, starting this week, Xbox Insider Program members in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha rings can preview a new feature: watching Discord game streams. This comes after the ability to stream games to Discord calls came in September last year.
• By relinking your Xbox and Discord accounts, you'll also be able to see your Discord friends on your Xbox friends list and join their calls or streams directly from the Xbox dashboard interface.
• Notably, stream viewing coming to Xbox widens the advantage it has over PlayStation in terms of Discord integration, as it's not possible to stream to the platform or watch streams from it on Sony's consoles.

It's been nearly two years since Xbox maker Microsoft and the team behind the globally popular chat platform Discord teamed up to bring official integration of the program to Xbox consoles, and in that time, it's been built upon with a handful of different features. Most notably, the ability for Xbox users to stream the game they're playing to friends in their Discord call was added last year; soon, they'll now also be able to view streams without using a PC or mobile device to watch.

Microsoft announced the news earlier on Wednesday morning in an Xbox Wire blog post, confirming that Discord stream watching is coming in preview to members of the Xbox Insider Program in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha rings this week. Once the feature goes through some thorough testing, it will then become available for everyone — hopefully in the near future.

Based on the image of the interface that Microsoft shared in the post (visible below), you'll be able to adjust the volume of a stream you're watching or even mute it if desired, just like you can with the full-fledged Discord app on PC and mobile. You also won't need to use a separate app on your console, allowing you to access streams directly from the Xbox dashboard interface.

This isn't the only improvement coming to Discord's integration on Xbox, however. Another feature going into testing today is the ability to see what your Discord friends are playing and when they're streaming or in a call from the Xbox dashboard, as well as who they're chatting with and the name of the server they're in in the latter two cases. Provided they're in a voice channel accessible to you, you can then join it directly.

To do this, you'll need to relink your Xbox and Discord accounts, which will give you the option to display your Discord friends in your Xbox friends list. Specifically, folks you know on Discord will appear on the right side of the friends list under the "Happening now" header.

If you're in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha rings of the Xbox Insider Program and plan to use these features, make sure you leave feedback on the experience for Microsoft as it works to refine and improve them. One place you can do this is the Xbox Insiders subreddit, a community where Microsoft notes "official Xbox staff" interact with members. You can also post to the subreddit if you're in need of support.

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• Razer Basilisk V3 Wired Gaming Mouse | was $69.99 now $49.99 at Best Buy
• Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tiny Workstation (Core i5 vPro) | was $1,759.00 now $879.00 at Lenovo
• Geekom A8 Mini PC (Ryzen 9) | was $1,099.99 now $699.99 at Geekom w/ code WINDA8OFF
• No Man's Sky | was $59.99 now $21.79 at CDKeys (PC, Steam)

Analysis: A long-awaited feature finally arrives

Xbox users have been asking for the option to watch their friends' Discord streams ever since the platform got integrated, so it's fantastic to finally see this feature make its way to consoles. Given that streaming to Discord from Xbox was introduced last September, I'm surprised that it's taken this long for stream viewership to come, but more than anything I'm just happy to see it's finally here.

• DEAL: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month pre-paid cards are just $29.89 at CDKeys, giving you three months for the price of two before the price increase to $19.99 a month

Something worth noting is that the addition of this feature further raises the advantage that Xbox has over PlayStation in terms of Discord support. While Sony recently gave PS5 users the ability to join Discord voice calls directly, it isn't possible to stream games or watch streams in the console. This, along with things like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and day one console exclusive releases on PC, makes the Xbox ecosystem more attractive to users that PC game or interact with PC gaming communities.

What you need to know

• Discord servers are currently down, locking out users from their accounts.
• The issue seems to be affecting both the desktop and web versions.
• Discord has acknowledged the issue and is currently investigating the matter and working on a fix. 
• Update September 29, 2023 at 11:15 AM ET: The outage appears to be over and Discord is working normally.

Update September 29, 2023 at 11:15 AM ET: Outage reports on DownDetector have dropped and the Discord Status page states that all systems are operational. Discord appears to be up and running as usual.

All seems not to be well over at Discord this morning, after multiple users took to social media platforms to express their frustrations of not being able to access the application. 

To this end, it's not yet clear what is the root cause of the issue, but a user of X (formerly Twitter) shared that the issue might be Cloudflare-related, as the service is currently undergoing maintenance, which is restricting users from accessing the platform both on the web and desktop versions. 

Multiple users have indicated receiving the following pop-up message each time they try to access the platform: "Sorry, you have been blocked." Reports flagging the issue continue to flood DownDetector, with speculations indicating that this could be a server connection issue. 

Discord has since issued a statement acknowledging the issue via its support account on X, and further citing that it is currently investigating the situation.

This is a developing story, and we will update this post with more information once more updates become available.

Is Discord down for you? Let us know in the comments below.

What you need to know

• Members of the Xbox Insider Program can now stream their games to Discord. 
• This feature allows someone playing on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles to stream the game they are playing into a Discord voice channel. 
• This test is rolling out now to Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha testers in the Xbox Insider Program. 
• Streaming games to Discord will be coming "soon" for everyone. 

Ever wanted to show your friends what you're playing on Xbox, but without the hassle of setting up a Twitch stream? Your hopes are being answered.

Microsoft shared on Wednesday that Xbox Insiders will be able to test streaming games to Discord starting now. This new feature, which is rolling out to Alpha and Alpha Skip-Ahead ring testers, allows players who have linked their Xbox and Discord accounts to instantly start streaming gameplay into a Discord voice call. 

In order to use this feature, testers simply need to join a Discord voice channel, then select "Stream your game."

This functionality is similar to how PlayStation 5 users can take advantage of the "Share Screen" feature to stream the games they are playing into their party chat. While this isn't exactly the same thing, as PlayStation's offering doesn't rely on Discord, this is still a neat feature for people to use.

While there's no exact date or window for when regular Xbox users will be able to stream games to Discord, the press release says that it's coming for everyone "soon."

Windows Central's take

This is a really cool feature to see added to the Xbox ecosystem. Obviously I wish there was a completely native version like what Sony offers to PS5 users, but this comes pretty close as a substitute. By being able to stream games to Discord, players can have community game sessions even with a single-player title, ask friends for help with something, or just liven up a long-distance date night.

• Microsoft has launched a dedicated Discord server for the Microsoft Store.
• Users can join the platform, connect with users, and share feedback with Microsoft regarding its products and services. 
• The platform already has a team of professionals in place to facilitate a better flow of communication.
• The new channel will also be part of the UWP Community Discord server.

Microsoft recently announced the debut of the official Discord channel for the Microsoft Store. The platform is in place to provide users with a convenient platform where they can interact, connect and exchange ideas. 

They'll also be able to provide feedback via the platform concerning the Microsoft Store app, website, Partner Center, MSIX packaging, and more.

Microsoft has highlighted that it will work closely with over 20 professionals, including PMs, engineers, leads, and social media managers from the Microsoft Store teams, to ensure that the flow of communication across the platform is seamless and effective. 

The company says the new server has a "strong presence" of over 20 professionals, engineers, leads, and product and social managers, giving everyone a convenient communication method with people responsible for maintaining and improving the Microsoft Store. Here is what users can expect to see in the official Microsoft Store Discord server:

As highlighted by Microsoft in the blog post, here's how you can make use of the new platform:

• Discussion on the Microsoft Store app: share your thoughts, insights, and feedback on the Microsoft Store app. Get tips, tricks, and updates on maximizing your app’s performance and discoverability.
• Website and Store Service feedback: discuss the Microsoft Store website and services, including search results, browsing experience, and more. Share your ideas to enhance the user experience and make the Store even better.
• Partner Center support: get assistance with MSIX and Win32 submissions, certification requirements, analytics, and other Partner Center related topics. Connect with experts who can guide you through the process.
• Engage with Microsoft teams: interact with Microsoft PMs, engineers, and social media managers who are actively monitoring the channel. They are eager to listen to your feedback, address your concerns, and help you succeed.

To join the server, you can download Discord from the Microsoft Store. Alternatively, you can go to Discord's official website and use the download link that's available there.

It's worth noting that the channel will be incorporated into the UWP Community Discord server, where Windows App users and creators from across the globe connect and share ideas.

What you need to know

• Discord announced username changes that will remove the hashtag and four-digit discriminator.
• The roll out of the new username system is expected to take a few months.
• A new profile badge will display an account's previous username with the discriminator.

Earlier this month, the community-building and live-streaming app Discord announced that it would be changing the way usernames functioned. Since its inception in 2015, Discord has utilized a hashtag followed by a four-digit discriminator to differentiate between accounts with the same usernames. These discriminators allowed users to sign up for the app without encountering the dreaded notification that their preferred moniker was already in use. Discord's username conventions even managed to escape the confines of the app when Microsoft adopted the hashtag and discriminator system for gamertags in 2019. 

Discord's co-founder, Stanislav Vishnevskiy, stated in a blog post on the app's website that the usernames have posed some problems as the app continues to grow. Surveys revealed that 40% of users are unable to remember their Discord username or are completely unaware of what their username's discriminators are while more than half of all attempts to add a friend simply fail due to user error when searching for their friends' accounts. To counter the convoluted username problem, Discord has opted to forgo the discriminators and shift all users over to a unique alphanumeric username in the coming months.

Why is this change being pushed despite overwhelmingly negative feedback? from r/discordapp

The announced changes have been met with derision in some corners of the internet. Discord communities like those found on reddit.com/r/discordapp and in comment threads on Twitter are full of discussions of the potential pitfalls to this change. 

This migration to a more standard username is expected to put Discord more in line with other social platforms, but the change has caused some concern over how the app will handle potential impersonators and other problematic accounts in the future. Recent updates to Discord's help systems have revealed that there will be a profile badge added to legacy accounts that are forced to convert to a unique username that will show the account's previous username and discriminator number. The old username is also expected to show up as an alias when sending and receiving direct messages with another user. 

The profile badge will not be a guaranteed mitigator for impersonation, however, as the option for the badge to display can be toggled on or off by the user at will. To disable the profile badge and alias visibility on the desktop app users will need to navigate to user settings and then profiles. Within the Users Profile tab they'll find the toggle to turn on or off Legacy Username badges as they wish. On the mobile app turning off the legacy badge will require navigating to the profile tab in the bottom right corner and selecting Profiles. The User Profile Tab will then have a toggle for the user to interact with.

What you need to know

• Xbox typically releases an ecosystem update every month with new features and improvements.
• May is no different, and the Xbox May Update is now rolling out with a handful of modest changes.
• Xbox players who use Discord Voice can now see the Xbox Gamertags of their Discord friends, for example.
• The Xbox Store search experience is improving with new filters, and Xbox Game Pass quests now have their own section on your profile.

It's May 10, one of the most important days of the year! Well, not really, but we are getting a fresh update for the Xbox ecosystem today. The Xbox May Update is now rolling out to all players across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and even the online Xbox Store.

While there aren't any dramatic new features (the new Xbox Dashboard is still being tested), this is still a solid update with some modest improvements under its belt. The headlining feature of the Xbox May Update is for the Discord users. Players who love to use Discord Voice on their Xbox will now be able to see the Xbox Gamertags of all their Discord friends (as long as they have it synced to their profile), and be able to quickly add them as Xbox friends, send Xbox game invites, and more.

Beyond that, the Xbox Store (both on Xbox consoles and online) is getting improved with some new search and filter options, including for price, supported subscriptions, languages and localization, and accessibility features. Hopefully, this will make it much easier to find the best Xbox games you want to play. Also, the Xbox Game Pass quests (which can earn your Microsoft Rewards points to redeem on giveaways, gift cards, and more), is moving out of the "Gaming" profile of your profile into its own "Rewards" tab to be easier to access.

Finally, all Xbox Wireless Controllers (including the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and Xbox Adaptive Controller), are enjoying a firmware update to fix issues that cause unexpected battery drain in rechargeable batteries or disconnects when playing games with a headset plugged into the controller and 4K, 120Hz, and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) enabled. All these peripherals count among the best Xbox controllers, so any improvement is welcomed.

It's not the most exciting suite of updates, but we know that Xbox is working on more dramatic alterations and larger feature additions in the background. For now, it's good that the Xbox experience continues to steadily improve.

What you need to know

• Discord has announced that it will soon be removing four-digit discriminators from usernames. 
• Instead, username conventions will be similar to Twitter.
• All Discord users will be required to update their account to a new username, which could prove frustrating in the short term. 

Discord first launched back in 2015 and soon boomed into a very popular messaging social platform that millions use each day. One of the things that has set it apart from other social platforms was that players never had to worry about getting any error messages saying that a username they wanted to use was already taken. This was due to the fact that a trailing set of four digits preceded by a # symbol, known officially as "discriminators," always helped to identify specific accounts from each other. 

For instance, there could be a WindowsCentralRocks#5586 and a WindowsCentralRocks#1234 Discord account that belonged to two distinctly different users. But that's all about to change now that four-digital discriminators are being taken away as announced yesterday by Stanislav Vishnevskiy, Discord CTO and Co-Founder. 

They will be replaced with a more standard naming convention, like the one Twitter uses. Going forward, Discord users will have a display name that they can change, as well as a new unique, unchanging username that is always preceded by the @ symbol. For example, WindowsCentralRocks as the display name and @WindowsCentralRocks1234 as the username.

The idea behind this username change is to make it easier for "people to remember and share [names] easily" so users can be more successful with friend requests. Many usernames currently used are considered "too complicated or obscure" and apparently "almost half of all friend requests fail to connect to the user with the person they wanted to match with." 

This is partially due to the fact that usernames have been case-sensitive and could have special characters up to this point. This means it was very easy to have multiple accounts with basically the same name and discriminator but with different lowercase, uppercase, or font usage. e.g. WindowsCentralRocks#1234, windowscentralrocks#1234, or WindowsCentralRocks#1234 could each be a different user. If someone verbally told you that their user name was "Windows Central Rocks one two three four", you might still send a friend request to the wrong person.

Vishnevskiy went on to explain that 40% off Discord users don't know their discriminator by heart or don't even know what it is. So this change aims to make things easier for everyone, but the transition will prove disruptive for many Discord users in the short-term. That's because many Discord users will have to come up with a unique username, which might throw off users who have used the same established username for years or have known their friends by a specific username.

In the next few weeks, Discord users will receive in-app notices telling them when they can update to a new username. 

Windows Central's take

I've personally experienced confusion when trying to send friend requests to someone I know and have ended up discovering that I had been trying to connect with another user with a similar name. So this new naming convention should make things less confusing and more straightforward in the future. 

That being said, this is going to be a painful but sorely needed change that will be frustrating for many at first. You'll want to act quickly to create a new username you like before it's no longer available. Eventually, the change will be in the rearview mirror and should shake out to provide a better user experience for everyone in the long run.

What you need to know

• The Vex Strike Force event in Destiny 2 drops a guaranteed piece of Exotic armor when completed. However, since its hard to keep track of when it spawns, many players can't farm it effectively.
• A fan has created a Discord bot that automatically pings you whenever the event begins, giving you ample time to log into the game and participate. The link to the server the bot is in is below.
• Since Exotics are a huge part of Destiny 2 builds, using this bot to farm them is a great idea.
• It's also possible to forward the bot's notifications to your own server using Discord's "Follow" feature.

One of the most lucrative activities added in the Destiny 2: Lightfall expansion is the Vex Strike Force, a unique Public Event-style encounter on the DLC's new Neomuna location. About once every hour or so, there's a chance that Vex enemies will launch a heavy assault within Neomuna's current Vex Incursion Zone. It's a fairly tough battle since it involves fighting through huge waves of Vex forces and multiple boss-class Minotaurs, but if you emerge victorious, you'll get a guaranteed Exotic armor drop.

Since this event always goes live globally across all Destiny 2 servers whenever it starts, every player in the game has a chance to profit off of it. However, since most people don't have the time to sit in Orbit all day and watch Neomuna's map for an indication that a Vex Strike Force is spawning, many players end up missing them. Thanks to a new Discord bot created by Reddit user u/Buuz135, though, it's now easier than ever to keep track when the Vex Strike Force starts and jump in right away.

The bot — aptly named "Asher Mir" in a Discord server called the "Vex Network" — works by scanning Neomuna's map around the clock and using image recognition to check for a Vex Strike Force event node. If it spots one, it immediately sends out a notification that the event is starting, giving everyone in the server a helpful heads up. And if you quickly stop what you're doing and head over to Neomuna once you see the bot's ping, you shouldn't have any problems getting to the event before the other players in your instance complete it.

Since the best Exotics are a key component in many of the best Destiny 2 builds, I highly recommend using this bot to help you farm it from Vex Strike Force encounters. While the event's spawn rate may be low on some days (it is random, after all), it's also possible for it to appear extremely frequently as well. On April 22, for example, the bot announced that there were 12 Vex Strike Force encounters active throughout the day. The only time the event never spawns is when the Vex Incursion Zone and the area for Neomuna's Terminal Overload activity overlap.

Note that the total stat value on the armor that drops is typically quite good (around the mid-60s range), and you can influence the individual stats with Armorer mods on your Ghost, too. The event will also only drop Exotic armors that you haven't previously acquired until your Collections tab is filled out, making the Vex Strike Force activity particularly helpful for new players. Overall, with the bot's help, it's a fantastic alternative to farming Legendary Lost Sectors.

You can join u/Buuz135's Vex Network server here. Make sure you read through the server rules and add a star reaction to the message from Carl-bot in the rules channel. This will include you in the list of users that the Asher Mir bot pings with Vex Strike Force notifications in the assistant channel. If you'd like to add these notifications to your own server, you can do so by selecting the "Follow" button at the top of the assistant channel and selecting both the name of your server and the channel in it you want the pings to be sent to.

Destiny 2: Lightfall is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, Windows PCs, and PlayStation systems. In it, you'll take the fight to Emperor Calus, gain access to Strand subclasses and their unique abilities, and more.

What you need to know

• Speaking at Semafor's World Economy Summit, Microsoft President Brad Smith has stated that Russian intelligence is attempting to "penetrate" gaming communities.
• When asked about the recent leak of classified US documents spread in a Minecraft Discord server, Smith said that Microsoft's digital threat analysis teams have identified Russian efforts to infiltrate gaming circles and spread information in them.
• Smith wouldn't say if Russian intelligence was directly involved with the document leaks themselves, but did allege that the groups spread the leaks in the Minecraft Discord server and "others."
• The recently leaked documents reportedly included details about the war in Ukraine and other types of security data.

Microsoft President Brad Smith has said that Russian intelligence is attempting to "penetrate" gaming communities in order to spread information. Notably, this statement follows reports from earlier this week that indicate classified US documents were recently leaked and spread throughout a Discord server for Minecraft, one of the most popular games of all time.

When asked about the leak at Semafor's World Economy Summit, Smith warned that "for the last several months, Microsoft’s digital threat analysis team has been identifying efforts by the Russians to basically penetrate some of these gaming communities."

“We’ve been advising governments about this,” Smith continued. "You know, it's the Wagner Group, it is Russian intelligence, and they're in part using this [gaming communities] to get information into circulation."

Though he declined to say if Russian intelligence was responsible for the Pentagon leaks themselves, Smith did allege that these groups were involved with the spread of the sensitive information.

"That's what happened here," he said. "It included the Discord channel around Minecraft. It included others of these ... They're going to publish information somewhere, it [gaming communities] just happens to be a good place for them to get the information into circulation and then ultimately, journalists find it."

The leaked documents were also shared on Twitter, 4chan, and Telegram. Reportedly, they contain information about the state of the war in Ukraine, China, "defense and security issues in the Middle East," and more. Chris Meagher, the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, said that some of the documents "appear to have been altered."

The leak is being actively investigated by various agencies of the US government. Recently, US President Joe Biden said that the Justice Department is "getting close" to identifying the culprit responsible for the leaks.

What you need to know

• According to a new report, a Minecraft Discord server was directly involved with the leak of classified US Defense Department documents.
• The documents reportedly contain sensitive information about the war in Ukraine, US allies, China, "defense and security issues in the Middle East," and more. The Pentagon has stated the leak is a "very serious" risk to national security.
• The leak is being actively investigated by the US government. It has been determined that the documents first circulated on Twitter, 4chan, Telegram, and the aforementioned Minecraft Discord server.
• National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said "I don't know" when asked if the leak had been contained or if further documents were released.

According to a new report by BBC News, a Discord server for Minecraft — one of the most popular video games of all time — was directly involved with a recent leak of classified US Defense Department documents. Reportedly, these documents contain sensitive information about the ongoing war in Ukraine, as well as China, allies of the US, "defense and security issues in the Middle East," and more. The Pentagon has stated that the leak is a "very serious" risk to national security.

In BBC News' review of "more than 20" of the documents, the publication stated that their contents include details about Ukrainian and Russian deployments in advance of Ukrainian military's planned spring offensive. Specifically, the documents "outline US training and equipment being provided to Ukraine ahead of the offensive, as well as when various Ukrainian units will be ready and the anticipated delivery time of military supplies." The report indicates that both US President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin have been briefed on the matter.

The Pentagon initially became aware of the leak last week and is actively investigating it alongside officials from the Justice Department, the White House, and other agencies within the US government. It has been determined that in addition to first circulating on platforms like Twitter, 4chan, and Telegram, the leaked documents were also shared on a Minecraft Discord server. Currently, details about this Minecraft Discord server and whether anything happened in-game or not are unknown.

"We're still investigating how this happened, as well as the scope of the issue," said Chris Meagher, the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, in a statement. "There have been steps to take a closer look at how this type of information is distributed and to whom."

Notably, Meagher wouldn't say whether or not the Pentagon believes that the leaked documents are legitimate. However, he reportedly said that some "appear to have been altered," suggesting that they were changed in some way. Meagher also added that the structure of the documents is similar to ones "used to provide daily updates to our senior leaders on Ukraine and Russia-related operations, as well as other intelligence updates."

Additionally, Meagher stated that US officials have moved to reassure its allies "of our commitment to safeguarding intelligence and fidelity to our security partnerships." Meagher also said that "the Ukrainians have demonstrated their capability and competence in this war" when asked how the leak could affect the conflict. 

"The President and Secretary [of Defense] have both made clear that the United States is going to be with them for as long as it takes," he said.

When National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby was asked if the leak was contained and if other classified documents were released, Kirby said "I don't know."

Finding cool Discord bots to add to your server can dramatically improve the quality of even the tightest-knit communities by automating welcome messages and images alongside level-based ranking systems. Some are just for fun, controlling message-based games and sharing interesting tidbits from around the Internet, and others can stop other bots from joining. I'll explain how to add bots to Discord and remove them if you change your mind, listing some must-have options.

How to add Discord bots to your server

At first glance, Discord can seem a little overwhelming with its extensive settings menus for practically every feature, whether you're joining a server or running your own. Fortunately, connecting some Discord bots to make your server better is relatively simple. If you're unsure what kind of bot you want to use, the first step is to check out the community-led website Bots on Discord for inspiration.

For this guide, I'll be using ProBot, which, as the name suggests, helps bring a level of professionalism to any server by offering custom welcome messages in multiple languages and a host of powerful moderation tools to help take care of any malicious users sending harmful messages.

1. Navigate the unofficial Bots on Discord community to choose a bot.
2. After thoroughly reading the bot's description, click Add to Server.
3. You'll usually see a prompt to log in to your Discord account via your web browser.

4. On the following permissions page, carefully read the list of abilities your new bot can access.
5. If you're comfortable, select your server from the Add to Server drop-down box and hit continue.

After confirming the list of permissions for your chosen bot, which usually includes full administrator access and the ability to manage your entire server, your Discord bot will be able to change nicknames or even ban users. Each bot has its own set of instructions, so be sure to read them before adjusting the default settings.

After adding a bot to your server, some will automatically redirect you to its official website with a comprehensive beginner's guide. If not, visit the page manually and brush up on the critical commands. ProBot has a fully-fledged web dashboard but can still be adjusted with a range of text commands written in any compatible channel, such as /server for general server information.

Windows Central official Discord server

The official Windows Central Discord server uses ProBot alongside a handful of other useful alternatives with not-so-subtle nicknames inspired by Windows. Join the server to chat with our readers or ask questions about bots you're interested in using. If you're on Steam Deck, check our guide on how to install Discord onto Valve's portable PC gaming handheld and have access to your new bot anywhere.

Initially made for gamers, Discord has adapted to fit a range of other communities as a simple way to communicate and collaborate. Available as a standalone client app or via most web browsers, Discord can also be installed on iOS and Android devices allowing text or voice chat with any of the best compatible headsets. 

As the name suggests, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the ultimate, online premium subscription service for Xbox consoles. This service has many features that enhance the users' experience of the Xbox platform like the ability to freely download and play hundreds of Xbox games for a limited time. Gain access to exclusive deals and discounts that will help you save tons of money when purchasing games. And play Xbox games on the go through your mobile devices thanks to Xbox Cloud Gaming, all for a small monthly fee.

There are so many more benefits to subscribing to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. One of which is one of the more underappreciated aspects of the service — Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks. Every month, subscribers will be rewarded with Perks that contain in-game items and free access to the premium features of third-party apps.

The list of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks on offer changes from month to month. So, we have decided to compile a list of all Game Pass Perks currently available and update it when new Perks arrive. This way, you can keep up to date on the latest Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks and grab them at your leisure.

What are Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks?

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks can best be described as free downloadable content provided by Microsoft as a reward for those who subscribe to the service. These Perks can take the form of in-game items like player costumes, weapon skins, playable characters, or even in-game currency that can be used to purchase content from the in-game stores.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks aren't just for video games; they also apply to third-party apps. For example, some Perks can grant you temporary free access to the premium features of a third-party app like Discord or Spotify, which generally require you to pay a separate monthly fee to access.

There are some caveats when obtaining Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks. For starters, the Perks are only available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. If you only have a free or an Xbox Live Gold account or are only subscribed to Game Pass PC or Game Pass Console, you will need to upgrade it to an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate account to claim the Perks.

Secondly, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks are available for a limited time, so you will need to claim the Perks before the time limit on them expires. Once you have claimed a Perk, you then receive a grace period in which you must redeem the Perk's code before the appointed deadline. And thirdly, you will need to own the game or app the Perks are associated with before you can use them.

How do I claim Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks?

There are multiple methods where you can claim Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks. The first is by signing into your Xbox home console, scrolling down the home page, and opening up the Game Pass menu. Then, you will need to click on the "Perks" option, where the list of Game Pass Perks resides. Select and click on the Perk you want, and then you will see a screen where you can grab the Perk's code by clicking on the "Claim" option. Finally, you will then be taken to the Microsoft Store, where you can redeem the code and download it to your console.

The second method is by opening the Xbox Game Pass app on your tablet or smartphone, clicking on your profile, and seeing the list of Perks at the top. Then click on the Perk you want, press the "Claim" button, and you will be given a code that must be entered on the Microsoft Store via your home Xbox console or PC to redeem the content. Do note that some Perks might be unavailable on the mobile app.

The third method is to open up your Xbox app on your Windows PC. On the top left-hand corner, click on "Game Pass" to open up the Game Pass menu to see "Perks" in the middle of the screen. Click on that, and you will access the list of Perks where you can select the Perk you want, claim the code, and then redeem it in the Microsoft Store app.

Do note that when claiming a Perk for a third-party app, you will be given a link that takes you directly to the website for the associated app, where you can redeem the benefits of the Perk.

List of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks

Below is the complete list of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks currently available and their deadlines and grace periods. New Perks are added on an irregular schedule from month to month, so we will be on the lookout for these additional Perks to ensure you don't miss out on these free rewards.

Discord Nitro (free three months of Nitro) — Claim by December 30, 2023, and redeem by December 31, 2023

Discord is one of the most popular voice and text messaging apps that goes hand-in-hand with gaming. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is currently offering a limited-timed Perk which gains you access to a free three-month trial of Discord Nitro.

Discord Nitro is a premium version of Discord and it features a ton of special benefits compared to the regular version. This app includes an increased upload capacity of 100MB so you can share higher quality videos and image files, a wider library of emojis, boosted server performance, the ability to stream at HD quality through screenshare, and much more.

Fallout 76 (5th Birthday Bundle) — Claim by December 17, 2023, and redeem by December 24, 2023

Fallout 76 is an MMORPG that allows players to band together in parties, explore the vast wilderness of the Fallout universe, and embark on all kinds of post-apocalyptic adventures. Celebrate the 5th anniversary of Fallout 76 with the 5th Birthday Bundle.

This Perk bundle contains a Vault Boy Fireworks Stand, an American Bowling Alley Lane, a 5th Anniversary Vault Boy Photomode Frame, a Vault-Tec Quilt, a VTU Graduation Cap, and a Vault Boy Commemorative Lamp.

There are two separate valid versions for the 5th Birthday Bundle and they can only be claimed once per their respective platform: one for the Xbox consoles (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One) and one for PC. 

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis (December Member Monthly Bonus) — Claim and redeem by January 2, 2023

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is an MMORPG where you take on the role of warriors called ARKS and defend the plant of Halpha from mysterious alien monsters known as DOLLS. 

Stock up on supplies for future battles with the December Member Monthly Bonus Perk. This Perk will give you five N-Half Scape Dolls to revive yourself if you fall in battle and 50 Photo Chunks to augment the strength of your weapons and units.

This Perk is available for the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC versions of Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis and can only be claimed once per account. Be aware that this Perk is unavailable in Belgium, Japan, the Netherlands, and South Korea.

KartRider: Drift (Lucci Loot Pack) — Claim by January 29, 2024, and redeem by February 5, 2024

KartRider: Drift is a free-to-play competitive racing game where eight players create karts and use them to win first place in adrenaline-pumping, racing tournaments. Purchase new karts and more by grabbing the KartRider: Drift Lucci Look Pack.

This Perk pack contains 14,000 Lucci coins that you can spend on purchasing in-game items like new karts, outfits, stickers, and more.

This Perk is available for the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One versions of KartRider: Drift and can only be claimed once per account.

What Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks will you take?

The free items and codes from these Perks is just the tip of the digital iceberg when comes to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's benefits. With this list, we hope we have informed you of these bonus rewards, so you can claim extra content for the best Xbox Game Pass games on the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Windows PC.

What you need to know

• The Xbox November Update is now releasing to players, with plenty of new features for consoles.
• The new Captures app with improved management and editing of game captures is included.
• Players can also jump into Discord calls and stream with Twitch, Lightstream, and Streamlabs straight from their Xbox.
• Store Wish Lists can now be sent to other people for gifting, and notifications for Wish List sales are here.

The Xbox ecosystem is comprised of multiple platforms and service entry points, and Xbox's monthly updates tend to sprinkle new features and improvements across the entire ecosystem. The latest Xbox update, now rolling out to players, shirks these expectations by pouring new features and improvements onto Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles.

Following the more modest Xbox October Update of last month, the Xbox November Update brings an assortment of changes and additions to make it easier to connect with friends, share your gameplay and captures, keep track of the latest sales and deals, and configure the best setup for your console. This is a sizeable update, with a few headlining features soaking up the attention.

For one, the previously tested Xbox Captures app is now available to all players, which improves the viewing, managing, and editing experience for screenshots and game clips. Wish Lists in the Xbox Store can now be shared with friends and family, so that they can buy games and gift them directly to you. Games on your Wish List that go on sale will also notify you, ensuring you never miss a killer deal.

Xbox's Discord integration is getting even better, with players now able to join voice channels directly from the Xbox Guide. The same can be said of Twitch integration, with players now able to stream the best Xbox games to Twitch, including via Lightstream and Streamlabs, without leaving their console. There are even updates to the Settings to improve the user experience.

There's a lot in the Xbox November Update, so here's every new feature broken down:

• Join Discord voice channels from your Xbox. When your Discord account is linked to your Xbox, you'll be able to navigate and join the voice channels of all your Discord servers directly from the Xbox Guide, simply by navigating to "Parties & chat" and "Discord." You'll even see a preview of which of your friends are already in the voice channel.
• Xbox Series X|S noise suppression and Discord. Another improvement for Discord users is the inclusion of noise suppression support. This Xbox Series X|S exclusive feature aims to reduce background noise when in voice chats, and it's now supported in Discord voice channels.
• Wish Lists sales notifications and gifting. Players who use their Wish List to keep track of games they want to purchase can rejoice, as Microsoft Store notifications can finally be configured in Settings — including notifications for when Wish List items go on sale.
  • Wish Lists can also now be shared with friends and family. Those people can purchase items from your Wish List and gift them to you
• New Captures app. The new Captures app improves the viewing, managing, and editing experience for screenshots and game clips, and lets you copy and move those captures to and from an external drive. This is a separate app that can be found in "Games & apps" or the Xbox Guide, and should offer superior performance and reliability over the previous solution.
• Twitch, Lightstream, and Streamlabs streaming from Xbox. From the "Capture & share" section of the Xbox Guide, players can now stream directly to Twitch, including through Lightstream and Streamlabs. This means the Twitch Xbox app is now view-only, as streaming functionality is built-in to the Xbox OS.
• New "Power options" settings. Xbox is further improving the power management of Xbox consoles with a redesigned "Power options" page that better shows the differences in power consumption between modes, as well as improved settings for managing when your Xbox automatically turns off.
• Controller rumbling for Xbox Cloud Gaming. The Xbox Cloud Gaming experience is about to get even better on PC, Mac, and Samsung smart TVs, thanks to the addition of rumble support with any supported controller.
• Quality-of-life improvements. A few smaller changes and improvements to the Xbox experience include:
  • A new "Ask to join" button in friends' profiles to quickly send a notification to join their game
  • A "Recommended" section in Settings to help you quickly configure your console with the best possible settings
  • A redesigned Xbox Support app, previously Xbox Assist, with easier navigation of support articles and superior layouts for account settings and options

The Xbox November Update is now rolling out to players across the Xbox ecosystem, although the vast majority of features are for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One players. While this update is massive, Xbox is still continually working on new features and improvements, including a months-long experiment to redesign and improve the Xbox Dashboard.

Another week means another wave of stories from the world of tech. This week we saw leaked images of the canceled mid-range Surface Duo, Discord making its way to Xbox consoles, and more. Since so many pieces of news break each week, we gather them together in a roundup to kick off the weekend.

Canceled mid-range Surface Duo leaks online

A canceled Microsoft Surface Duo appeared online recently in the form of a since-deleted eBay listing. Our senior editor Zac Bowden verified the legitimacy of the listing and shared details about the device this week. The product, codenamed "Cronos," featured rounded corners, a plastic exterior, and lacked the Glance Bar of the Surface Duo 2. It was originally set to ship later this year but has been canceled.

Cronos would have been a more affordable Surface Duo, thanks to its mid-range Qualcomm processor, dual-camera array, and flat displays. For comparison, the Surface Duo 2 has a Snapdragon 888, a triple-camera array, a plastic and glass exterior, and two 90Hz curved displays, all of which drive up its cost.

If you'd like to chat about the canceled Duo, make sure to hop on over to our official Discord.

Discord on Xbox

Discord voice chat is finally on the way to Xbox consoles. Microsoft and Discord announced plans for the integration this week, and the feature is already rolling out to select Insiders. Discord is one of the most popular communication platforms in the world, especially among gamers. Support for it will allow people to chat in their favorite Discord communities during gameplay without having to use multiple devices at once.

The functionality is so in-demand that we've already created a guide for downloading and using Discord voice chat on Xbox consoles. You can also check our gaming editor Jez Corden's hands-on video of Discord on Xbox. His excitement is clear after watching just a second of the video. That's likely a common feeling among Xbox owners.

Halo Infinite's Art Director departs 343 Industries

After 14 years of working on Halo, Nicolas "Sparth" Bouvier has moved on from 343 Industries. He was the art director of Halo Infinite and worked on Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians as well. Bouvier also created the cover art for several Halo books and comics.

"All good things come to an end," Bouvier said. "After close to 14 years on Halo, I have decided to pursue other opportunities outside Microsoft and 343 Industries. It's been a hell of a ride, loved every minute of it. Wishing the absolute best to 343, you guys are and always will be amazing."

The Halo franchise has lost several big names over the last few years. Former Creative Director Tim Longo left 343 Industries in 2019, as did Lead Producer Mary Olson. Former Studio Head, Chris Lee, moved on from Halo Infinite in 2020. Additionally, former Lead Multiplayer Designer Andrew Witts and Head of Design Jerry Hook have left Halo Infinite.

OneDrive for Windows 11 copies Android and iOS

While not the largest piece of news, several people showed an interest in OneDrive for Windows 11 copying a feature from iOS and Android. Starting with Windows 11 Build 25163, which rolled out to the Dev Channel this week, people will be able to upload content to OneDrive through the Share menu.

OneDrive will appear as a share target, allowing users to put photos and files onto the cloud without opening a separate application. This functionality has been available for OneDrive on iOS and Android for quite some time, but it's finally making its way to Windows.

Review roundup

Each week our experts take a look at the latest gadgets and gizmos from the industry. Here are all of our reviews from the last week:

• Kensington Professional Video Conferencing review: An all-in-one kit for the home office
• Razer Hammerhead 2nd Gen wireless earbuds review: RGB impacts battery life
• As Dusk Falls for Xbox review: Two sides to every successful story
• NZXT Canvas 32Q review: NZXT's first curved gaming monitor is gorgeous to gaze at
• NZXT Canvas 27Q review: A solid mid-range 27-inch QHD gaming monitor
• Stray (PC) review: Everybody wants to be a cat
• SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini wireless keyboard review: So close to perfection
• Endling - Extinction is Forever for PC review: A somber tale of survival
• WD_BLACK D30 1TB external Xbox SSD review: Second-rate speeds
• Sabrent Rocket V90 SDXC review: Super-fast storage for photo and video work

Discord is fantastic free software that allows gamers to talk in groups while they play and branch out to millions of other types of communities with text and voice chat, and it's totally compatible with Steam Deck. Valve's powerful little handheld console is well known for its ability to play PC games on the go, and now you can hit up your friends for some multiplayer with our super simple guide.

Before starting, any apps or games you install outside the official Steam Deck store will be on the internal storage, not your microSD card or any other external drives. Be sure to check that you have enough space on the primary eMMC SSD, the size of which depends on which Steam Deck model you chose (64GB, 256GB, or 512GB).

How to install Discord

You can download Discord from Flathub, an app store for Linux Flatpak archives, by using any desktop PC. It's an option if you prefer to transfer files manually, but installing it directly onto the Steam Deck is much easier, thanks to the built-in Discover app store.

1. Hit the left-side STEAM button to open the quick menu.
2. Navigate down the list to highlight and select Power.
3. On the power menu, navigate to and select Switch to Desktop.

Alternatively, you can briefly hold down the power button to access the power menu a little faster. A Switching to Desktop ... notification will appear whichever method you choose. After a short wait, the Steam Deck will boot into its Linux desktop environment, just like you would expect on any regular PC.

4. Locate and open the Discover app, which is usually pinned to your taskbar with an icon resembling a blue shopping bag. Otherwise, you can find it in the System tab of the applications menu.
5. Using the search function in the top-left of Discover, look for Discord.
6. Find Discord in the list of results and hit Install.

Having to boot into desktop mode whenever you want to open Discord is a little tedious. Follow these extra steps to have them appear in the regular SteamOS Deck UI alongside your usual library.

7. Return to Steam in desktop mode. Navigate the top-most menu to the Games tab and select Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library ...
8. A new window titled Add a Game will appear with a list of your software. Navigate this list until you find Discord.
9. Check the box to the left of its title, then hit Add selected programs.
10. Close the Steam application and launch the Return to Gaming Mode shortcut from the desktop or applications menu.

It might seem strange to have Discord listed as a game, but it's the best way to have fast access to the app on Steam Deck. Once the app is open, it will continue to run in the background, so you can join voice channels and switch back to your games. Check out our collection of the best PC gaming headsets to find a high-quality microphone for your voice chat.

It's just like playing on a full-sized gaming PC, and with access to the official Windows Central Discord server wherever you are, you can chat with our readers and post in the forums. If you don't feel like typing with the on-screen Steam Deck keyboard, check out our collection of the best gaming keyboards for a physical alternative.

After years of hoping that Discord would come to Xbox consoles, fans are finally getting their wish. Recently, Microsoft and Discord announced that Xbox players will soon be able to voice chat with their friends on Discord by transferring calls to their console. This integration will completely break down the communication barrier between Xbox and one of the most popular voice chat programs in the world, making it easier than ever before for friends to talk online whether they're on Xbox or PC. The update is finally live for all users on Xbox Series X|S consoles and the latest version of Discord on phones and PC. 

If you're curious about how you can take advantage of this integration, we've got you covered. Here's a complete overview of everything you need to know about Discord on Xbox, including how to download it, how to get connected, and more.

How to download Discord on Xbox

Before you can jump into a Discord call on your Xbox console, you'll need to download a handful of apps and connect your Discord and Xbox accounts. The service was in testing for a while on the Xbox Insider Program, but it has since rolled out publicly. Here's how to get everything you need to use Discord on Xbox:

1. Download and install the Discord app on a Desktop, the iOS App Store, or the Android Google Play Store.
2. In the Discord app, sign in to your Discord account.
3. Download and install the Xbox app on the iOS App Store or the Android Google Play Store.
4. In the Xbox app, sign in to your Xbox account.
5. Back on your Xbox, go to the Parties & chats tab of the Xbox Guide menu and select the Try Discord on Xbox banner. 
6. Scan the QR code using the Discord QR code scan option found in the mobile app's settings. This may prompt you to join the beta program for Discord on Google Play, until it goes public. 
7. Follow the on-screen steps to sign in with your Xbox account and authorize Discord to connect with your Xbox account.
   
   NOTE: There's a bug that can interrupt the flow between the app authentication from your browser and the Discord app as of writing.
   
   To resolve this, open your Discord app settings (long press the app icon on Android, and select App Info, then go to Set as Default, select Supported Web Addresses, and make sure discord.com and *.discord.com are both ticked.
   
   This will repair the authentication flow from the Discord app, to your web browser to sign in to Xbox, and then back to the Discord app. 

You now have everything you need downloaded, as well as the hook between your Discord and Xbox accounts necessary for Discord voice chat to work on your Xbox console. 

How to use Discord on Xbox

Now that you have the Discord and Xbox apps ready to go, the process of using Discord on your Xbox is quick and easy. Here's how to do it:

1. On the Discord app, select a voice channel to join.
2. Select the Join on Xbox option.
3. The Xbox mobile app will open automatically, asking you to confirm that you'd like to transfer the voice call to your Xbox. Select Transfer Audio.
4. You're connected! If you ever want to transfer your call back to your original device, select Transfer Voice to This Device.

While using Discord on Xbox, there are several options you can take advantage of. These include the ability to adjust the volume of or mute individual party members in the Discord call, turn on a Discord overlay that shows you who's speaking while you're in-game, and switch between your Discord call and regular Xbox game chat.

Discord is live on Xbox right now!

Today, Microsoft and Discord announced that the feature is generally available across all modern Xbox consoles using the latest version of the Discord app.  There are rumors that the service could come to PlayStation as well with similar integration in the future, but thus far there's no further information on how or when that will be implemented. 

The integration might be a little heavy-handed, but it's perhaps designed to reconcile both company's security and data handling policies. We'll keep you posted on all and any updates to the Discord and Xbox integration now and in the future. In the meantime, we recommend grabbing one of the best Xbox headsets so your Discord friends can hear you loud and clear. 

In a surprise update on Xbox Wire today, Microsoft confirmed a major requested feature is finally coming to Xbox consoles. 

Discord is a social network and chat tool that has become the de-facto place for all video game community building and voice comms over the last few years. The service boasts millions of monthly active users and is only growing in its dominance in the space owing to its broad feature set, speed, and convenience. 

To that end, Xbox voice communications have fallen by the wayside a little in recent years. At least anecdotally, I find myself opting for Discord voice communications either on my phone or my PC even while playing on my Xbox, owing to the cross-platform nature of it. Even though you can voice chat cross-platform using the Xbox Game Bar or Xbox app on PC, many users either aren't aware it exists, or simply prefer to use Discord, since they likely already have it set up and ready to go. 

Microsoft seems to be acknowledging the rise and dominance of Discord with this latest update, responding to years of requests from Xbox fans to bring Discord voice communications directly into the Xbox dashboard as an option. Given the increase in games with cross-platform functionality such as Fall Guys, Minecraft, Halo Infinite, and Apex Legends, having platform-agnostic comms is a progressive and future-facing move that will only benefit gamers. 

The update will roll out to select members of the Xbox Insider program initially in testing. To activate it, players will need to navigate to the party section using their Xbox controller, and select "Try Discord Voice," which will open an account linking flow using a QR code scannable with a mobile phone. Once your accounts are linked, you'll be able to send Discord voice channels to your Xbox console using the mobile app. It's unclear exactly if you'll be able to join from your Xbox console specifically, but we'll gun to get hands-on with it ASAP and give you a deep dive on how it all works. 

The development here is interesting given earlier reports that Microsoft was actually in talks to acquire Discord in months past. Microsoft's integration with Discord may be indicative of a wider partnership, as Xbox's own "Club" community features have largely become a wasteland of spam, while users generally flock to Discord for sharing content and building communities with their friends. 

If you're in the Xbox Insider Program and want to try it out, here's how to get Discord on Xbox working for yourself. 

What you need to know

• The official Discord app is now available in the Microsoft Store for Windows 11.
• The app joins other big names like Zoom, KakaoTalk, Luminar AI, Music Maker, VLC, TeamViewer, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, and LibreOffice.
• The Microsoft Store is now open to third-party stores and more.

The official Discord app for Windows is now discoverable in the new Microsoft Store for Windows 11. The app appeared sometime last week around September 22, but with Microsoft's announcement around Epic Games coming to the store and more, the app has now been officially revealed.

Discord, once almost acquired by Microsoft, is one of the most established social networks with 150 million monthly active users (MAUs) used by many gamers. Microsoft landing the app, which users a standalone installer (so, no updates through the Microsoft Store itself), is a big win for Microsoft's new "open" strategy to lure developers and software back to Microsoft.

Microsoft seems to be resonating with those developers too. The company remarked in a blog post how big names like Zoom, KakaoTalk, Luminar AI, Music Maker, VLC, TeamViewer, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, and LibreOffice are all on the store right now. Epic Games, Opera, and Yandex browsers, and Android apps (via Amazon) are all coming too, with likely many more on the way.

Of course, Microsoft is taking some shortcuts with the Store in letting companies use their own CDNs (Content Delivery Network) and even installers, eschewing Microsoft's tools and commerce systems. In that sense, the Store is sort of a placeholder for these apps but still gives users a trusted source for Windows software.

So far, people seem to like Discord on the Microsoft Store as it has a 4.8 rating (out of 5) from 13 reviews. The biggest complaint seems to be people wanting the app to update through the store itself and not via the app. Discord could solve that by using Microsoft's own package installer, something we'll have to wait and see if they adopt.

To find the new app, users must search for the Discord app in the Microsoft Store as currently, there are no dedicated links for non-packaged apps.

What you need to know

• The new Microsoft Store is headed to Windows 11 users on October 5 alongside the operating system's launch and will be coming to Windows 10 users in the next few months.
• Epic Games' and Amazon's storefronts will be on the new Microsoft Store.
• Browser apps will also be on the new store, including Opera and Yandex.
• Other bigs apps are now available too, including Discord, Zoom, KakaoTalk, Luminar AI, Music Maker, VLC, TeamViewer, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, and LibreOffice.

The new Microsoft Store has changes that are set to shake up Microsoft's existing storefront experience in a big way. Prepare for stores within stores, browser apps, and a whole lot more. Here's a quick rundown of what Microsoft shared in its recent blog post.

First, there's the release date news: The new Microsoft Store is hitting the public on October 5 right alongside Windows 11's launch. Windows 10 users will get the new store as well, though that'll be happening a few months later.

Also, don't forget that the new Microsoft Store will allow for third-party storefront apps so there can be store-ception. Expect Epic Games and Amazon to bring their storefronts to Microsoft's in the coming months.

On a related note, app developers won't have to give Microsoft a cut of their revenue (this policy excludes games) as long as they're using their own commerce systems.

But that's not all. Microsoft is also allowing browser apps aboard the new store. Opera and Yandex are coming as part of this browser-friendly initiative. And tons of desktop apps are already in the MS Store waiting for you to download them, including Discord and VLC. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) such as Reddit and Lyft are in the store as well.

Lastly, Microsoft hasn't forgotten about its promise to bring Android apps to Windows 11. That feature will be rolling out to Insiders "soon," so stay tuned for concrete dates.

What you need to know

• Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently discussed Windows Phone, Discord, and TikTok at the 2021 Code Conference.
• Nadella called Microsoft's potential deal with TikTok the "strangest thing [he's] ever worked on."
• The CEO also said that "Microsoft was doing a lot of things out of envy," which likely referred to Windows Phone.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella spoke at Vox Media's Code Conference last night. The CEO discussed "re-founding" Microsoft, Windows Phone, and Microsoft's previous interest in acquiring Discord (sort of). Nadella also recounted the saga of Microsoft's potential purchase of TikTok, which he referred to as the "strangest thing [he's] ever worked on."

Speaking of his earlier days at Microsoft, Nadella said that "Microsoft was doing a lot of things out of envy, not ... things that we were meant to do." He was likely referring to Windows Phone, according to The Verge's Dieter Bohn. Nadella suggested that Microsoft was envious of closed platforms but needed to "get back to what Windows is fantastic at, at being an open platform."

Kara Swisher hosted the event and tried to get Nadella to open up about Microsoft's pursuit of Discord. Nadella joked, "What is Discord?" Microsoft hasn't publicly confirmed that it was interested in Discord, so it's not surprising to see Nadella rebuff any discussions about it.

Nadella did, however, dive into the strange saga of Microsoft almost acquiring TikTok. "It was the strangest thing. First of all, TikTok came to us, we didn't go to TikTok," said the CEO.

"President Trump had a particular point of view of what he was trying to get done there and then it just dropped off. I mean it was interesting. There was a period of time when I felt the USG had some particular set of requirements and then it just disappeared."

Microsoft's CEO mentioned that TikTok uses artificial intelligence and is based in the cloud. Microsoft also invests heavily in these areas, so the social media giant could have potentially been a good fit with Microsoft. Nadella said that TikTok was an "interesting product."

The legal saga surrounding TikTok's potential sale involved the app being banned in the U.S. and Microsoft's CEO calling President Donald Trump directly. Microsoft president Brad Smith details the situation in his book Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age.

Ultimately, Microsoft did not acquire TikTok. Microsoft appears to have moved on from any desire to acquire the social media platform. "At this point, I'm happy with what I have," said Nadella.

What you need to know

• Discord will soon support threads, though there isn't a confirmed release date at this time.
• Threads will work like temporary sub-channels that allow people to discuss a topic or organize a conversation.
• The feature differs from replies, which rolled out in November 2020.

Discord will soon support threads, adding a new way to organize conversations within the app. These should reduce clutter and make it much easier to follow along within channels that include a lot of people. Discord breaks down the new feature on a Developer Portal page (via TechRadar).

Threads in Discord will work differently than what's seen in other chat applications. The page on the Discord Developer Portal discussing threads explains that they "can be thought of as temporary sub-channels inside an existing channel, to help better organize conversation in a busy channel."

This is in contrast to replies, which are already supported in Discord. Threads also differ from how other apps, such as Slack and Microsoft Teams, handle threading conversations.

Discord channels can quickly get flooded with messages, especially during peak hours of activity. Trying to reply to a specific topic can be quite challenging. For example, during the Windows 11 announcement, our Windows Central Discord server boomed with activity. As more announcements came in, it became increasingly difficult to have a conversation. If threads were in place at the time, people could have split specific features into separated threads.

The new feature is in the early stages of testing right now, and it doesn't have a confirmed release date. TechRadar notes that only bot developers with under five users and one bot can use threads at the moment.

What you need to know

• A new report states Discord has ended talks with Microsoft regarding a potential acquisition.
• It is said that Microsoft was in advanced talks to purchase Discord for at least $10 billion.
• Discord reportedly listened to offers from at least three companies but decided to remain independent.

Discord will not sell itself to Microsoft or any other company at this time, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Instead, Discord may look into becoming a public company at some point in the future. At least for now, it appears Discord will remain independent.

Earlier reports indicated that Microsoft was in advanced talks to purchase Discord for at least $10 billion, but those talks have seemingly halted. The WSJ notes that Discord fielded offers from at least three companies but ultimately decided to remain independent. It's also mentioned that while the talks between Microsoft and Discord ended without a deal, they could be rekindled in the future.

Back when rumors first emerged about a possible purchase of Discord by Microsoft, our senior editor Jez Corden said that "Microsoft can't let this one slip away." If the latest reports are accurate, it seems Microsoft may have let exactly that happen. It's worth noting, however, that Microsoft doesn't seem to have lost out on this deal to another tech giant. Instead, Discord appears to want to stay independent.

Even though Microsoft seemingly didn't lose Discord to a direct competitor, the loss will likely sting for the company. Corden's points regarding Microsoft messaging services being bad, Microsoft struggling in the social space, and the fact that Discord would help solve these issues all remain valid.

This is a breaking story. We will update it as more information becomes available.

Yesterday, Discord announced a move that will block all not safe for work (NSFW) servers on iOS devices (via iMore). The move was made to allow Discord's app to work with Apple's strict policies for NSFW content on iOS devices. Tumblr removed some adult content from its platform in a similar move that helped it return to the App Store after a brief time away. It seems that Discord is taking a page from the same playbook.

Discord's move isn't quite as dramatic. NSFW servers will still be on Discord, but you won't be able to access them on iOS devices (unless you're a server owner or moderator). You'll still be able to view NSFW content on desktop apps, the web (including the web on iOS devices), and presumably Android devices.

Discord's move to fit within Apple's guidelines gave me a new appreciation for the openness of Windows 10.

Says who?

To be completely honest, I'm not on any NSFW servers on Discord. I didn't even know they were a thing before this recent news story, but that doesn't mean I can't weigh in. I'm all for protecting kids and restricting content for underage people. I'm against preventing consenting adults from looking at legal content that they want to view on the web.

Discord clearly isn't against NSFW servers as a whole, or this move would apply to other platforms and the web. As a result, I'm pointing the blame at Apple. Who says that someone can't be part of an NSFW community? Who says people can't chat and share NSFW content on a phone? Apple? Why should people on Discord have to dance around Apple's idea of morality?

If the move was just to protect kids, I'd fully support the decision. But App Store policies are forcing platforms to dance around the rule of Apple.

Open up

One of the beauties of Windows is how you can install apps from so many sources. While there is a Microsoft Store, that's far from the only place to grab apps. Case in point, Discord's desktop client for Windows isn't even on the Microsoft Store. Instead, you can just download Discord's client for Windows directly from the company's website. There's a third-party Discord app that works on Windows 10 and Xbox, but it's not from Discord itself. Maybe that will change if the rumors of Microsoft wanting to buy Discord are accurate, but that wouldn't really change anything related to this saga.

I'm a big fan of app stores. I've written about Windows apps and the Microsoft Store for years. But when cases come up like what we saw with Discord and iOS, it's important to highlight the open nature of Windows. Discord doesn't have to shift the content on its own platform to make Microsoft happy. Even if Microsoft didn't want the Discord app in the Microsoft Store, Discord would still be readily available on Windows.

In contrast to Microsoft's approach with Windows, Apple takes a more walled approach. Apple has taken several steps against sideloading apps in the past, making alternatives to the App Store more difficult to use. Even if sideloading was easy on iOS, it isn't the same to downloading any program you want on Windows.

Rotten Apple

This short saga just leaves a weird taste in my mouth. Why is Apple involved in what people can view on the web? Is Apple going to crack down on people using the Safari browser to look at NSFW content? Apple isn't even limiting NSFW Discord servers on the web on iOS, so I'm not sure why it cares so much about people viewing them on an app.

What you need to know

• Discord just announced a new feature called Stage channels.
• They are a new type of channel built for speaking with an audience.
• Stage channels are similar to the popular new app, Clubhouse.

Discord just announced a new type of channel for Community servers that focuses on speaking with an audience. They're called Stage channels, and they're Discord's answer to the Clubhouse app that's growing in popularity. Stage channels allow you to communicate with an audience and easily control who can take part in the conversation. The goal is to combine the intimacy of a podcast with the interactivity of a Q&A.

Like the rest of Discord, Stage channels can easily work in a variety of situations. You can set up a Stage channel for an AMA (Ask Me Anything) or an interview. According to Discord, you can also use them for karaoke, though it seems more likely that people will use them for conversations.

Within Stage channels, Stage moderators can manage who is speaking and mute or remove an existing speaker. For example, a moderator could virtually call up someone from the audience to ask a question. Audience members can raise their hands to show that they want to participate.

To use Stage channels, you'll need to enable them within your Community server. This can be done through Server Settings > Community.

Stage channels are live on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and on the web.

Discord has also been in the headlines lately for reportedly being in exclusive talks with Microsoft regarding being acquired. Our senior editor Jez Corden explains why it's vital that Microsoft purchases the communication platform.

We're back with another exciting episode of the Windows Central Podcast, and this week, it appears that Microsoft is set to buy Discord as part of its recent shopping spree. Daniel and Zac also chat about Razer possibly releasing an AMD-powered laptop, new icons in File Explorer, a WPA version of the Spotify app, and more.

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast was recorded on March 26th 2021.

Links:

• Microsoft could close on $10 billion Discord acquisition as soon as next month | Windows Central
• Razer seems set to join team red with an AMD-powered laptop | Windows Central
• Microsoft rolls out Windows 10 21H1 build 19043.906 to the Insider Beta Channel | Windows Central
• Windows 10 Insider build 21343 brings new icons to the File Explorer | Windows Central
• It might be time for an 'Xbox Game Pass Lite' | Windows Central
• Say goodbye to the clunky Spotify desktop app for Windows 10 | Windows Central
• Halo Infinite voice actor leaks potential November 2021 release date | Windows Central
• LG Gram 17 (2021) review: Small changes make this ultra-big laptop ultra-impressive | Windows Central

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Hosts

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

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What you need to know

• WSJ reports that Microsoft and Discord are in exclusive talks to acquire the chat service.
• A deal could be agreed as soon as next month.
• Discord is looking to sell for more than $10 billion.

A new report from Wall Street Journalis claiming that Microsoft is in exclusive talks to acquire Discord for $10 billion, and that a deal could be agreed as soon as next month. The news comes just days after it was revealed that Discord was looking to sell, and that Microsoft was a potential buyer alongside Epic Games and others.

Discord would be an incredibly valuable asset for Microsoft's continued Xbox efforts, which has seen the company acquire many big name Game Studios in the last couple of years to boost its successful Xbox Game Pass subscription. Microsoft could use Discord as a backbone for the Xbox network, allowing gamers to communicate across Xbox and PC platforms in and out of games.

Microsoft has been trying to acquire a community driven platform for some months. Last year, the company was in the running to acquire TikTok, and more recent rumors suggested the company was interested in acquiring Pinterest too. Discord is an incredibly popular community driven platform, and would fit right in with Microsoft's gaming portfolio.

Discord is rumored to be looking to sell for more than $10 billion. If true, this would make Discord one of Microsoft's more expensive acquisitions, with LinkedIn coming in at number one with a sale price of $26.6 billion.

Although the two companies are in exclusive talks, nothing is set-in-stone until a deal is actually made. We may not have to wait long for a result, as the Wall Street Journal claims that the deal could be closed as soon as next month. The deal would then need to get approval from regulating bodies before it could be deemed "official."

In the meantime, what are your thoughts on Microsoft acquiring Discord? Let us know in the comments.

What you need to know

• Guilded announces its first public API for third-party bot makes.
• Available in early access right now and developers can request to join the program.
• The biggest gap to Discord is going to close up now with the arrival of third-party bots.

Folks have been gradually starting to switch from Discord to Guilded in increasing numbers and the latest announcement from the platform is going to make that process even easier. Guilded has announced a public API for the first time which will allow third-party bot developers to build for the platform. As I recently covered in a piece on Guilded, third-party bots were the biggest gap when comparing the service to Discord.

Guilded servers already have a rudimentary bot system built in, allowing its members to create their own custom tools without the need for any programming knowledge and use trigger systems IFTTT and Zapier. But what everyone really wants is the third-party bot ecosystem enjoyed by Discord servers.

And it sounds like it won't be a copy and paste, either. Guilded offers a number of additional features on top of Discord, such as integrated calendars, and Guilded bots will be able to hook into all aspects of a server.

Initially, the API is in early access and interested developers can submit a request to be part of it. Initial partners include some well known bots, including Statbot, PatchBot, Pixel Chat and PLAYR.gg. More information can be found on the Guilded blog.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is reportedly in talks to acquire Discord.
• Talks are in early stages at the moment.
• Discord is looking to sell for more than $10 billion.

Earlier today, news broke that Discord was looking to sell to a willing buyer for more than $10 billion. The report was light on details regarding which companies were interested, but now Bloomberg is reporting that Microsoft is in the running. The report claims that talks are still in early stages, so nothing is a done deal, but that Microsoft is definitely interested.

Discord is likely in talks with multiple companies about a possible deal, with reports suggesting a sale is still in its infancy stages meaning it could be a while before a deal is actually closed. There's no guaranteeing Microsoft would be the winning bid, but as our Senior Xbox Editor Jez Corden recently wrote, Microsoft can't let this one slip away, especially for its Xbox efforts.

Discord would be a valuable asset for Microsoft and Xbox. Discord is popular with PC gamers, with over 140 million active users. Assuming Microsoft did acquire Discord, it would likely treat the service like its LinkedIn or GitHub acquisitions, allowing Discord to continue operating on its own, but integrating Discord and Discord tech into other Microsoft products to enhance the Microsoft ecosystem as a whole.

For now, it's very early days and the deal could still go to a number of other companies, or Discord could ultimately decide to go public. But Microsoft could really use a consumer-facing chat platform that has actual users, unlike Microsoft Teams for Consumers or Skype which has seen usage decline significantly in recent years.

Microsoft has a long and storied history with messaging apps. Whether it's nostalgic memories of MSN Messenger, or more recent efforts with Microsoft Teams, communication is practically foundational to every Microsoft vertical. Microsoft has also had a long and storied history of, well, failure in this area. Despite buying up Skype, the relevancy of Skype as a platform has deteriorated in recent years in favor of speedier competitors, like WhatsApp and Telegram, or more-connected social networks like Facebook Messenger.

Skype has still found its footing as a back-end service for products like Microsoft Teams and Xbox Live, both of which boast tens of millions of monthly active users. Still, there are big, gaping holes in Microsoft's ability to engage consumers within its own communication platforms, especially when it comes to building communities, or even running small businesses.

A new report from VentureBeat suggests that gaming-oriented messaging platform Discord is looking to sell for upwards of $10 billion. One has to assume that Microsoft is in the running to be among those to acquire the messaging platform, given that it aligns almost perfectly with its plans for the future of gaming. It could also boost Microsoft's business aspirations, given that it is arguably more intuitive for smaller businesses than Microsoft Teams who don't need the scale or enterprise-grade integrations the service offers.

Here's why I think Microsoft should certainly look to place itself in the bidding war for Discord, if it's not already at the fore.

Microsoft's messaging services are bad

I hate to say it, but Skype, Microsoft Teams, and Xbox Live messaging are all pretty awful at doing their job in general. Skype remains among the more reliable services for voice and video comms, and Xbox Live party chats generally do the job for group voice in gaming, but they've all fallen so far behind competing services due to lack of innovation.

To be fair to Microsoft Teams, it does things at scale for enterprises that competing solutions simply cannot offer. But as a user in a mid-sized business who simply needs these services for fundamental communication and filesharing, Microsoft's competitors generally seem to have an edge for the basics.

Microsoft is a lumbering corporate giant, and often fails to meet the pace of innovation smaller, more nimble teams can accomplish. Few others represent this as succinctly as Discord, which not only destroys Skype and Xbox Live at texting, mobile quality, and usability, but arguably is even better than Microsoft Teams as an environment for professional use. Discord has a wealth of mature services, tools, and bots that can turn basic Discord servers into productivity powerhouses with only a few simple tweaks.

I remember long before even working in the industry, I was scratching my head over Microsoft's decision to shutter MSN Messenger in favor of Skype. MSN was faster than Skype and had a more intuitive interface. Frankly, it still does.

I'm not quite sure why, but it's absurd to me that, in 2021, Skype and Xbox Live messaging services lag behind the competition in speed. It just doesn't feel good to send texts over Skype-based services, watching the app struggle to open even on the world's most powerful PCs and phones, while Telegram and WhatsApp, and crucially, Discord, all open at a mere instant. If after years of failed attempts to rebrand and rebuild Skype, Microsoft is unable to improve even the most basic aspects of the service, there must be something fundamentally wrong with it. What else could it be? It's time to cut loose and move on.

Discord would solve all of Microsoft's social shortcomings

Microsoft has already been working pretty closely with Discord in recent years, and we've seen evidence that Microsoft is looking at even deeper integration between Xbox messaging and Discord in the near future. This could be a hint that Microsoft is indeed in the bidding to acquire the service, which is synonymous across the board with gaming communities everywhere.

Microsoft has attempted to emulate Discord's features in some ways. Microsoft's own "Xbox Clubs" feature started fairly promisingly, and we even saw designs that would've seen Xbox Clubs become even more "Discord-like," in previous years. Those updates never materialized, however, as Discord's popularity continues to gain pace.

I wrote an article in the past about why Microsoft can't ignore the rise of Discord. It was always apparent to me that Discord would eventually join a larger tech company. It was merely a question of "who," and "when."

In that article, I wrote that Microsoft essentially had a choice to build up its own competing services or buy Discord outright. Arguably, the former hasn't happened. Xbox Live and Xbox Clubs haven't had meaningful upgrades in what feels like forever, and lag behind Discord and other instant-messaging services across PCs, and crucially, mobile phones, where Microsoft aims to deliver the majority of its growth for Xbox Game Pass in the near future.

Microsoft wholly missed the boat with streaming, failing to catch up to Amazon's Twitch with Mixer. Allowing Discord to go over to Amazon or another competitor could potentially end badly for Microsoft, particularly if, for example, Amazon sought to integrate Discord with Twitch and its home-grown PC game streaming service Amazon Luna.

"Social" is Microsoft's big blind spot

Microsoft's attempt to buy TikTok last summer should serve as an indicator that Microsoft knows the importance of social media. In some ways, social media is the glue that many of its services simply lack. Discord isn't necessarily full-blown social media in the same vein as YouTube or Twitter, but it is crucially social in a way that it builds communities, and re-engages users passionate about a whole range of topics and subjects. It's also faster, and more intuitive than Microsoft Teams, arguably making it more productive for smaller teams who don't need the more powerful enterprise-level integrations.

Microsoft's home-grown consumer-oriented social platforms have fallen too far behind their competitors to ever catch up at this point. Redmond has found success with LinkedIn and Microsoft Teams, but Discord's tech could become the glue that makes these services and features more social for regular users, thanks to superior fundamental services and an improved user experience. Whoever lands Discord will gain a big advantage over Microsoft's entire portfolio of services, if Microsoft is forced to continue using the dinosaurian Skype as its primary mode of comms delivery. This is one deal Microsoft can't afford to let slip away.

Everyone knows Discord. Once the darling of gamers, now it's used by people from all walks of life who want a free, easy-to-set-up place to talk to friends and like-minded individuals. And that's great. Discord is great.

But if you're a gamer, Guilded might be even greater.

Right now, I'd call it the best communication tool you're probably not using. Its core focus is gamers, providing a toolset to enhance your communities and a service that is upgrading itself at an electrifying rate. Literally every week, it seems the Guilded team is updating something or pushing out a new feature.

If you haven't tried it yet, you really should.

Like Discord, but different

There will always be comparisons to Discord, and that's understandable. Just the same way every new tablet that isn't an iPad ends up compared to the iPad. These comparisons aren't unfounded, but if you're ready to dismiss Guilded as a mere Discord clone, you're making a mistake.

At its core, though, it offers a very similar service. Set up a server, fill it with channels, chat with friends, followers, subscribers, use text and voice, all that jazz. Where it starts to diverge is the clear focus on gaming and helping you and your server members interact better.

For example, instead of simply creating a new channel for a particular game, Guilded will create a whole sub-server for you where you can then create text and voice channels with their own integrations for your community. For example, you can have a dedicated section for Destiny 2 that would be completely separate from a section for PUBG. It's an immaculate way to organize your server and cut down on the noise and channel spam.

Guilded also does a much better job of relieving that feeling of being in too many servers. We've all been there on Discord. Your sidebar is lit up like a Christmas tree with notification dots, and it gets overwhelming. With Guilded, any time you're in a server, it's your sole focus. All other servers you're a member of are hidden away until such a time that you want to switch to one. It's a simple touch, but one of many that make using Guilded so refreshing.

That's ultimately what makes Guilded so good. When you start to peel back the surface and look at all the tricks and treats it has underneath to make your life there more enjoyable, it's easy to love.

Easy to start from scratch or move from Discord

One of the bigger barriers to moving to Guilded, especially if you're already set up in Discord, is the thought of having to start over. Servers take time to set up, but Guilded is two steps ahead of you.

Setting up a server from scratch is a breeze. Once you have an account, it takes seconds to be up and running, and if you're into the idea of dedicated game areas, you can add those at setup, and Guilded will auto-generate a basic template to get started with.

The bigger deal for folks who are moving over from Discord is that Guilded has done all of the leg work for you. It has a tool built in that can hook into your existing Discord server and import it. It really is that easy.

The goodies for Discord converts don't stop there, either. Guilded has other tools to make the transition easier, like interacting with channels using Discord commands and posting content from Guilded to your existing Discord server. Instead of being all gung-ho about it, Guilded does a superb job easing new users into the platform.

A different approach to bots

One of Discord's strengths is its developer community and the thousands of bots created for the platform. If you want to do something or integrate a service with your Discord server, chances are there's a bot that can help, and if not, you can make it yourself.

Guilded takes a different route at the moment, a more streamlined approach but one which doesn't currently have a public API. I hope that changes in the future, though, because some of the tools Discord servers have access to through bots is phenomenal.

But with Guilded, you can make your own basic bot right within your server. You don't need to know any form of programming language, either. Pick a trigger, a response, and a place for it to go, and you're off to the races.

For everything else, you have webhooks, both incoming and outgoing. Guilded supports IFTTT and Zapier, so the possibilities are endless. The example Guilded gives is using IFTTT to pull Reddit into one of your channels, and the setup process is certainly preferable, in my opinion, to having to deal with bot configurations.

Totally free, no upsell

There is always a worry with services like Guilded being totally free to use. After all, something has to fund development work, and it's not an open-source project either. So developers will need paying. One of the bigger criticisms directed at Discord right now is hiding features behind its $10 a month Nitro subscription.

I'm not criticizing that because we all need to get paid somehow. But when you step back and look at what Guilded offers for free right now and has committed to keeping free in the future, you'll be astonished.

The core service of Guilded will remain free, and right now, there's only one monetization tool in play. Guilded Gold allows users of the platform to contribute to the development and, with that get access to newer features earlier, during their alpha and beta stages.

Eventually, there may well be more in the way of premium features behind a purchase, but the commitment is to keep what's currently here available for free. And when that includes 1080p video and 256kbps audio. For free. This is one of the areas where Guilded has the edge over Discord, which hides higher resolution video and better quality audio behind a paywall. Given the global situation throughout 2020 and 2021 and the amount of remote communication now a daily staple, this is a great touch.

Don't sleep on Guilded

I could be here quite easily all day diving into everything Guilded has to offer. But perhaps most impressive is the development rate. Recent additions include 2FA authentication, and there is always something being built out. The platform's social channels and support site are great resources to use.

I do implore you to explore Guilded, though. Whether you're new, frustrated with Discord, or you just like checking out new stuff, there's a lot here to like. I haven't even touched on the integrated calendars and tournament tools.

Guilded is unashamedly built as a communications tool for gamers and their communities. It's impossible not to be impressed.

Messaging apps are everywhere. Get more out of yours with these thoughts, tips, and guides.

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• Instagram's bigger than you think
• Microsoft's messaging failures and successes
• Do Slack and Teams count as "messaging"?
• RCS vs. SMS vs. iMessage
• Google's messaging failures
• How to switch your family to a new service
• Guilded is the Discord alternative you didn't know you needed
• Telegram vs. Signal vs. WhatsApp