Discord is officially entering a new era, and not the kind longtime users were hoping for. With the appointment of a new CEO and plans to go public, the platform many relied on for gaming and community chat may be headed for its most dramatic change yet.
Discord replaces its founder with former Blizzard CFO
Jason Citron, the original CEO and co-founder of Discord, announced this week he’s stepping aside. Replacing him is Humam Sakhnini, previously CFO at Blizzard Activision. Citron will stay on as an advisor and board member, but Sakhnini is now steering the ship.
That shift isn’t just symbolic, it comes alongside plans to take Discord public. And that move is raising alarms across the platform’s massive user base.
Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft in the past years and completed its mergers, is on the agenda again with layoffs.
Going public sparks backlash and subscription fears
The decision to go public has reignited old worries. Users on Reddit and elsewhere voiced skepticism, warning that investor demands could reshape Discord’s priorities. Some fear the app could slide into paywall territory, with core features possibly tucked behind subscriptions.
The shift toward monetization has already been creeping in. From unwanted pop-ups to “premium” features that add little, frustration has been mounting. The April Fools ad overlays didn’t help either—they looked a little too polished for a prank.
Fans fear Discord will lose its user-first focus
Veterans of online chat know the pattern: once a free platform goes public, community feedback takes a backseat. That’s the growing concern here. Discord earned its place by being accessible, flexible, and built around user control. Now, its future could be shaped more by shareholders than servers.
Some longtime users are already considering alternatives. Mentions of IRC, forums, or even classic apps like MSN Messenger are popping up in threads. Joking or not, the nostalgia signals a deeper truth—users want spaces built for people, not profit margins.
Discord’s future is up for grabs
Citron says the changes will guide Discord through its “next chapter of growth.” But for many, that chapter already feels like a different book entirely. The tone online has shifted from cautious optimism to full-on skepticism.
Discord isn’t dead. Not yet. But the app that once felt like the heartbeat of modern gaming communities now faces an identity crisis. The next few updates might not just change its UI—they could change what it is.
