Is Discord the Steam Killer?

So obviously we don't believe Discord will really kill off Steam but with fake games, a disconnected community and Steam exclusive content not so exclusive anymore or original, Steam must be worried. The Beta which is exclusive to Canada, will allow Discord users to buy games from publishers such as THQ and Deep Silver, in addition to games from indie publishers such as Raw Fury (Bad North, Sable and The Last Night). From the list drawn up so far, some of the most noteworthy titles include Frostpunk, Hollow Knight and Dead Cells.

Participants in the current beta will be able to use an upgraded version of Discord Nitro (Discord's monthly subscription service). Subscribers will be able to play a selection of games curated by the platform, which Discord describes as "an easy opportunity to play the golden games you've missed". It's basically like Xbox Live Gold. The games available to subscribers so far include Saints Row: The Third, Metro: Last Light Redux and Darksiders: Warmastered Edition to name but a few. The Discord Nitro subscription service will cost $4.99 per month, or $49.99 per year.

But here is the exciting stuff for indie developers, as Discord will be introducing a new sponsorship program called "First on Discord". In return for agreeing to launch their indie games exclusively on Discord, developers will receive funding to help make their planned projects a reality. After a period of 90 days, First on Discord titles will become available on other platforms, so the exclusivity agreement is only for the first few months of a game's release. The program seems like a pretty good deal for developers, and could result in some exciting new indie titles.

So if you are a looking for a place to launch your indie title, Discord may be the spot.