Do you use Discord? Well if these reports are to be trusted, it looks like they might get a new owner under Microsoft.
In an article on Bloomberg which cites anonymous sources "familiar with the matter", Microsoft are apparently in talks to buy Discord for more than $10 billion USD. This follows from another article from VentureBeat that claims Discord has been exploring options for a sale and has "signed an exclusive acquisition discussion with one party". Earlier this month the WSJ talked about how Discord revenue has increased quite a lot to $130 million in 2020 (up from $45 million in 2019) but it's not actually profitable yet.
For the Linux support of Discord, if Microsoft did acquire it we don't expect much to change. Discord's Linux client is full of issues that never get solved so Microsoft can't do much worse - we could even see an improvement perhaps. Nowadays Microsoft aren't exactly the same when it comes to Linux with the likes of Teams, Visual Studio Code and Edge all on Linux in some form. Microsoft are also the owners of GitHub which huge parts of the open source community entirely rely on.
Still, with all the acquisitions Microsoft has done, that's a lot to have under a single roof. This continued consolidation across the gaming industry is pretty concerning. Some companies really do end up with far too much influence and power.
How do you feel about this?
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
Microsoft Teams for Gamers
8 Likes, Who?
Well, time to look for alternatives.
BTW. I'm surprised so few projects decided to move away from Github...
BTW. I'm surprised so few projects decided to move away from Github...
19 Likes, Who?
I closed my GitHub account the moment that deal went through and I'll do the same if this happens to Discord. It's a shame, as I like the Discord experience, even though I gave up on their client (I only run it in the web now), but as an old, jaded long time techie, I won't have anything to do with Microsoft. Nothing they do absolves them of the hurt they bring to this industry day in and day out with their legal strong-arming, proprietary lock in, aggressive acquisitions and baffling licensing. They can "love Linux" all they want, I'll have nothing to do with them.
27 Likes, Who?
Ahh electron app incoming yay well going by what happened to skype they will do what they want guess Jitsee is going to be getting some new users
0 Likes
Shit.
Am not using Discord much, but it would certainly be bad news to be wolfed down by Microsoft. They've been very 'hungry' lately. If you can't innovate yourself, just take over those who are (in general), and also remove competitors. It's Microsoft 101. (and many others in fairness, like Google and Facebook).
Am not using Discord much, but it would certainly be bad news to be wolfed down by Microsoft. They've been very 'hungry' lately. If you can't innovate yourself, just take over those who are (in general), and also remove competitors. It's Microsoft 101. (and many others in fairness, like Google and Facebook).
5 Likes, Who?
Quoting: tomaszgWell, time to look for alternatives.
BTW. I'm surprised so few projects decided to move away from Github...
Why microsoft didnt change it they just pumped funding into the backend and increased bandwidth. So far they havent changed anything really its still github
4 Likes, Who?
Quoting: PangaeaShit.
Am not using Discord much, but it would certainly be bad news to be wolfed down by Microsoft. They've been very 'hungry' lately. If you can't innovate yourself, just take over those who are (in general), and also remove competitors. It's Microsoft 101. (and many others in fairness, like Google and Facebook).
Well yeah its smart business, Google bought a whole office suite company to make google docs. Most companies dont want to take a risk if you buy something that is already sucessful you in theory maintain profit while giving oppotunities to add to it. Ie Zenamax being bought by Microsoft they instantly gain four mainstream hit ips without spending a penny (in r and d) and fart out remasters of Fallout 3/New Vegas/Skyrim/Obilivion until the end of time and still make money.
Last edited by Whitewolfe80 on 23 March 2021 at 10:28 am UTC
0 Likes
Philadelphus Mar 23, 2021
I'm no fan of Microsoft buying anything, but I'll grudgingly admit they've managed not to run GitHub into the ground yet, so…50-50 Discord will still be worth using in a few years? 
5 Likes, Who?
Certainly deleting my account on discord, which hasn't been in use very much recently anyways.
2 Likes, Who?
Nooo! Absolutely shocking!
...
(Actually, I have no idea what a Discord is.)
...
(Actually, I have no idea what a Discord is.)
3 Likes, Who?
While I'm in no way trusting Microsoft on what they would try to do with regard to privacy. I'm not actually sure I would trust Discord itself any more than that as it is now. There is a reason why I only run this thing in complete isolation. It doesn't even have access to snoop on my running processes. And otherwise I regard it as a public discussion forum.
2 Likes, Who?
Fortunately there are more than enough good alternatives for Discord, in case they screw it up.
2 Likes, Who?
Quoting: EhvisWhile I'm in no way trusting Microsoft on what they would try to do with regard to privacy. I'm not actually sure I would trust Discord itself any more than that as it is now. There is a reason why I only run this thing in complete isolation. It doesn't even have access to snoop on my running processes. And otherwise I regard it as a public discussion forum.
The lack of isolation and its built-in process snooping is one of the key reasons I gave up on the fat-client experience. But while I'm sure they'd love to snoop processes on non-Windows machines, I suspect that this move is more to get rid of competition from Teams. And my god Teams is so bad, this is the only way it'll succeed (speaking as an 8 hours a day Teams user at my work).
They tried to buy Slack before. I wonder if they'll try again?
2 Likes, Who?
Quoting: Whitewolfe80Ahh electron app incoming
It's already an electron app.
Personally I've not touched it since they switched to GTK3 builds.
Last edited by WorMzy on 23 March 2021 at 12:20 pm UTC
0 Likes
Quoting: RoosterFortunately there are more than enough good alternatives for Discord, in case they screw it up.Honestly Mumble should be used by everyone on Linux. Unfortunately server setup and lack of better chat options is holding it back.
5 Likes, Who?
Oh come on. One good thing in gaming and it goes shit. Fuck this.
Skype, Skype for business, teams... How many apps do they have to crapify to be satisfied. I can't wrap my head around how M$ ruins everything it touches. And they even hire good engineers. How is this even possible.
Skype, Skype for business, teams... How many apps do they have to crapify to be satisfied. I can't wrap my head around how M$ ruins everything it touches. And they even hire good engineers. How is this even possible.
4 Likes, Who?
Arehandoro Mar 23, 2021
Salesforce bought Slack, Microsoft goes for Discord... and this is only the beginning of more acquisitions accelerated due to the pandemic.
I use it begrudgingly, and because most people don't care about these things or simply try to mock you if you mention Matrix or Mumble.
I use it begrudgingly, and because most people don't care about these things or simply try to mock you if you mention Matrix or Mumble.
1 Likes, Who?
When this happens, it's insta account deletion for me, regardless of the friends I might loose contact with.
M$ are way too hungry of individual data regardless of privacy, besides they haven't done much shit for either Linux or FOSS, au contraire.
M$ are way too hungry of individual data regardless of privacy, besides they haven't done much shit for either Linux or FOSS, au contraire.
5 Likes, Who?
oldominion Mar 23, 2021
Haven't used Discord for quite some time and this was the final nail in the coffin, account deleted lol
1 Likes, Who?
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