Discord, popular for its no-ad policy, is entering the advertising world with a new feature called Sponsored Quests. This strategy aims to expand their revenue sources without tampering with the engaging user experience.
Sponsored Quests offer engaging activities and, upon completion, display promotional content personalized to suit the user’s interests. This approach helps Discord generate income while prioritizing user needs, as users can always opt out of this feature.
Peter Sellis, Discord’s SVP of Product, announced the Sponsored Quests program on March 7. It involves a reward system encouraging PC gamers to invite friends to watch their gameplay, creating an interactive community akin to Twitch on Discord. The program hopes to boost user engagement with rewards for gamers who invite friends to watch them play on Discord.
The Sponsored Quests are personalized ads targeting the user’s gameplay, location, and age group.
Discord’s new approach: Sponsored quests
However, users can deselect personalized ads or hide promotions for specific Quests or games, providing control over their own gaming and ad experience.
Companies like Lucasfilm Games and Epic Games have tested these ads on Discord, providing opportunities to win Star Wars-themed gear. Discord’s CEO, Jason Citron, believes that ‘every game will eventually offer Quests on Discord,’ demonstrating the platform’s future aspirations.
Previously, Discord distinguished itself from other social platforms by avoiding advertisements and prioritizing user comfort over using collected data for ad purposes. However, increasing operating costs led to a shift in Discord’s policy, which incorporated an advertisement test run to explore sustainable income channels.
Despite criticism from some users, Discord remains committed to safeguarding user data from misuse in targeted advertising. They also extend their sponsored features to include profile effects and avatar decorations on the Discord shop.
This evolved approach helps maintain a free platform for users without compromising on quality and innovative aspects. Introducing these features marks a promising phase in Discord’s continual development, offering an enriched user experience.
