Discord, the popular gaming-focused chat platform, is making a major change to its mobile experience. Starting in June 2025, the company will introduce Video Quests on mobile, a feature that allows users to watch ads in exchange for rewards like avatar decorations and in-game items.
While this format has already rolled out on PC and consoles, its arrival on mobile marks a significant shift for a platform that once prided itself on being ad-free. The ads will appear in a “Quest bar” at the bottom of the screen, which you can dismiss or tap on to access a dedicated Quest tab.
From there, users can opt in to watch full-screen ads and earn rewards. No autoplay, no forced interruptions—at least for now. Discord says that expanding ads to mobile is a natural evolution for the application, which has gone on to become one of the most popular and well-known social apps on the market right now.
Discord claims (via The Verge) that this move will give brand partners access to Discord’s highly engaged mobile audience while keeping advertising “player-centric.” However, not everyone will be thrilled about this change, especially given Discord’s long-standing reputation as an ad-free space.
Quests aren’t entirely new, though. Discord introduced both Video Quests and Play Quests last year, allowing players to complete in-game challenges for temporary rewards. However, bringing ads to mobile signals a broader shift in monetization, especially as rumors swirl about Discord preparing for an IPO.
The company was last valued at $15 billion in 2021 and previously discussed a $10 billion acquisition deal with Microsoft, which ultimately fell through. Discord has steadily become more prevalent in gaming circles, including becoming available on PS5 a few years ago. So it makes sense for the company to look for more monetary avenues.
For those concerned about ad intrusion, Discord will allow users to hide in-app promotions and opt out of personalized ads, just like it does on other platforms. The company has been testing these mobile ads for a while now, with screenshots appearing on Reddit as early as five months ago.
However, the move raises questions about whether this is the beginning of a larger push toward advertising on the platform. With an IPO potentially on the horizon, Discord’s focus on monetization is only going to get stronger. The big question now is whether long-time Discord users will embrace this new ad-supported model or if it will be the push many need to finally break free from the service.
Unfortunately, there’s not much else out there that can compare to Discord’s ease of use or accessibility.
