When adding a new friend online to play games together, one of the first questions asked is usually “Got Discord?” That’s because Discord, the free voice and text chat service, has become the international standard for gaming communication. While the platform was always designed with the gamer in mind, Discord recently announced its first official partnership with esports teams and organizations in the form of verified servers.
Discord servers are already hubs for esports communication. Websites, collegiate programs, games and events all have their own servers with active participation. Similar to Twitter, the verified esports servers will now have a checkmark next to the name that lets people know they are legit. Will Boyer, the Director of Partnerships at Discord, said the verified servers are a “natural evolution of esports growth.”
“We’ve actually been working with esports teams and orgs all along — just not in an official capacity,” Boyer wrote in an email. “Over the past couple of years there has been a lot of change taking place in the esports industry. New leagues are forming, traditional sports ownership groups are getting involved, and more and more non-endemic sponsors are jumping on board. As the industry has grown, the needs of the orgs and their communities have also grown.”
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With 90 million users – most of them gamers – Discord already has a massive audience. The verified servers give esports teams and orgs a natural avenue to connect with their fans. Among the more than 20 initial partnerships are tournament organizer DreamHack, top organizations like Cloud9 and Team Liquid and most of the Overwatch League. As an example of the reach of Discord, at the time of writing, the Team Liquid server has more than 2,000 people online while the official subreddit has less than 50.
“The verified servers give fans the confidence that the information they are getting comes from the teams and organizations themselves,” Boyer continued. “Since these official servers are managed by the teams and orgs directly, they foster better relationships with their community and get real-time feedback. This communication encourages a conversation instead of a one-way information flow like traditional social media channels.”
The back and forth nature of Discord will provide a platform that works well for player AMA’s and fan engagement. It also provides unity between all of the different players in an organization.
Right now, esports fans typically focus on individual players. Discord’s verified servers are a step towards building the organizational fan base that drives so much revenue in traditional sports. Soon, the question may change from “Got Discord?” to “What server you on?”
“When it came to making a decision on what social communication tools to use for community, Discord was the obvious choice,” Team Liquid co-CEO Steve Arhancet said in a statement. “It’s where all the gamers are. And, it is the only social messaging app that allows for a real-time back-and-forth between the teams and the fans. Our Discord server is the official hub for Liquid fans, players, and staff; and host to our pro team events. The verified check lets fans know they are in the right place.”