Discord has been experimenting with embedding apps and games directly in chats through the Activities feature. Now, the company is set to release a dedicated SDK for developers to join the chat-based fun.
The Embedded App SDK will roll out on March 18, allowing developers to build experiences embedded in an iframe within Discord.
Discord To Offer More Games, Apps
Discord wrote in a blog post that many Discord developers had their eyes on Activities, wondering when they could create their own. It said that only a few developers had access to these tools before this announcement.
The post claimed that users of Discord can play poker, watch YouTube, and collaborate on a whiteboard, all while chatting. The SDK would open up the floodgates and drastically increase the number of available shared experiences.
App pitches are also being restored on the platform. This program can help developers pitch their app ideas and win up to $30,000 in cash. Last year, Discord backed several interesting projects, such as an art portfolio app, a city-building simulation, and a coral reef cam.
Discord has now revealed that it is testing new technologies that will enable users to add apps to their accounts and have these experiences follow them across servers. On March 18, this tool's beta version will be released with the SDK.
The company anticipates that apps will appear "within DMs, group chats, and small servers."
Furthermore, these updates follow the announcement of a brutal wave of layoffs by the company, which affected 17% of its personnel just two months ago. The company recently announced a collaboration program with game developers to sell customized avatars and various profile effects.
CEO Jason Citron said that the company had to make these layoffs to put Discord in the best position to continue building a strong and profitable business.
Discord Users Cancel Nitro After New Update
Discord's new mobile look was first made available as an in-app Easter egg a few months ago, but the company said on December 5, 2023, that it will be available to users worldwide.
There has been a backlash to the update since this replaces the former app layout, to which people have grown accustomed. Social media users have disapproved of the modification by canceling their Nitro memberships to protest the changes.
When Discord announced an update on Twitter, one of the users questioned whether it would be possible to return to the former mobile Discord user interface.
The company responded that the previous layout would no longer be available, and users were not exactly happy with their response. Many people have responded by urging others to stop using Nitro.
"Cancelling Nitro. You have no idea how much efficiency and money your 'update' will cost me," one user replied.
