Microsoft in Talks to Acquire Discord

[GM Tock]

Not going to lie, I'm not a fan of this development.  Even if they take a hands-off approach and allow Discord to operate the same (which isn't likely to happen), it's another of many similar deals. One class of user is emboldened and realizes all the gains.  Another told to leave and go find a different answer.  Today, both have a home there, and I'm grateful for Discord especially in these times for all they've done to keep both happy, the typical eSports enthusiast as well as the smaller independent communities.  There's nothing like it out there.  There may not be anything like it again.

 

My hope beyond hope is that this is a "fishing expedition".  The Discord CEO is bolstering interest to an IPO to pay their creditors back instead of taking a quick payout (whether that pans out or not, no idea).  But like Minecraft, no one is immune to a crazy large check with a single condition: "It's mine now, we got it from here."

 

If that is the case, then I hope a competitor rises up to keep some of that magic Discord has today and spreads it around somewhere else.

[Hyperstrike]

1 hour ago, Apparition said:

 

Just about everyone I know under the age of 45, and quite a few older than that. :P  The ones under 35 mostly refuse to have anything to do with forums.  Too old school.

Translation: Illiterate pansies. 

[WanderingAries]

1 hour ago, Hyperstrike said:

Translation: Illiterate pansies. 

 

*shakes cane, other hand on walker* You tell em!

[WanderingAries]

12 hours ago, Hyperstrike said:

Don't make me break out the car battery and the testicle clamps...

 

Now now, we gotta be inclusive. It's Gator Clamps and Nips. 😉

[Heraclea]

I have an account but it's been months since I logged in.  The Discord interface is one of the ugliest and most ungainly things I have seen in a good long while, and at any rate I do not have a microphone set up, so I can't participate fully anyways.  My strong opinion is that if immersion-breaking live VOIP chat of any kind is needed to play an online game, that game is already broken.

[Hyperstrike]

2 hours ago, Heraclea said:

I have an account but it's been months since I logged in.  The Discord interface is one of the ugliest and most ungainly things I have seen in a good long while, and at any rate I do not have a microphone set up, so I can't participate fully anyways.  My strong opinion is that if immersion-breaking live VOIP chat of any kind is needed to play an online game, that game is already broken.

Then just use it like most people use it.  As a chat app.

This way you don't need to be in-game 24x7.  You can just hang in chat and participate as you feel like it.

[Apparition]

Heh, the best thing that I have heard about this:

 

“I think that if Microsoft merges Skype, Discord and Teams together, they can finally realize their vision of using 174% of the CPU while idle.”

[Oubliette_Red]

I believe I read somewhere that Discord's other option was possibly going public. I'd rather see them do that then get churned up in the undertow by MS.

 

[Techwright]

On 3/24/2021 at 2:14 PM, Apparition said:

 

Just about everyone I know under the age of 45, and quite a few older than that. 😛 The ones under 35 mostly refuse to have anything to do with forums.  Too old school.

Old school? 

 

Fussy little prima donnas.  I'll show them "old school".  Old school is a posting on a BBS using a dial-up modem and 2 to 5 minute page loading, assuming no pictures.  And that's with a connection.  Pray I don't dig out the Commodore-64 with its tape drive, or waft a few IBM punch cards under their noses. 

And we liked it! 

[Hyperstrike]

On 3/23/2021 at 10:59 PM, honoroit said:

Really, no. I understand it was the fashion to hate on msft in the 2000s, but as a gaming platform win 10 is good. 

 

Xbox seems to know its ass from elbow this console gen, and Xbox game pass is very good value all round - there's not a lot of dispute there either. 

 

Aside, msft research pumps a lot of money into medical tech, look at recent complex surgery done via AR. Likewise they conduct actual anthropology research.

 

In workplace productivity, they have great apps. The information workers life would be worse without them

 

Shit, visual studio is a nice ide, and VS code is free. 

 

Bloody hell, even net core runs cross platform. 

 

I don't get the hate. 

 

So yes, serious question, not joking. 

My problem isn't with the software (save in a few cases I can't actually talk about).

My problem is the corporate ethos.  Top down.

[Apparition]

17 hours ago, Techwright said:

Old school? 

 

Fussy little prima donnas.  I'll show them "old school".  Old school is a posting on a BBS using a dial-up modem and 2 to 5 minute page loading, assuming no pictures.  And that's with a connection.  Pray I don't dig out the Commodore-64 with its tape drive, or waft a few IBM punch cards under their noses. 

And we liked it! 

 

My first computer was a Commodore, and I helped run four local BBSs in the 1990s, so I hear you. :D

 

FWIW, BBSs are still alive and well.  There's a new three part documentary on BBS usage in the 2020s, if you're interested.

 

 

Part One

 

 

Part Two

 

 

Part Three

[Apparition]

Discord will, in fact, not be acquired by Microsoft nor anyone else.  They've decided to go it alone and are exploring a public IPO.  Per Game Informer:

 

 

Quote

Discord has reportedly ended any and all talks of being acquired by outside parties, including Microsoft. In March it was reported that Microsoft was one of several potential suitors hoping to buy the popular social app for the fine tune of $10 billion.

 

The Wall Street Journal reports that sources close to matter have claimed that Discord has decided to remain independent. According to sources, Discord’s reasoning appears to be a simple one: The company is performing well on its own. Its current value sits at around $7 billion with over 300 million registered users as of 2020.

 

 

*Breathes sigh of relief.*

[Apparition]

Well, now it's become clear why the acquisition talks between Microsoft and Discord fizzled.  Sony now has a minority investment in (read: partially owns), Discord and will bring Discord to the PlayStation 5 sometime next year.

[Hyperstrike]

10 hours ago, Apparition said:

Well, now it's become clear why the acquisition talks between Microsoft and Discord fizzled.  Sony now has a minority investment in (read: partially owns), Discord and will bring Discord to the PlayStation 5 sometime next year.

#Stonks?

[TemporalVileTerror]

HA ha.
"Going it alone," eh, Discord?
Not surprised at the move, honestly.  Just the timing and ballsey'ness of it.