Discord Considering $10 Billion Sale to Microsoft

Microsoft emerged as a potential buyer of gamer messaging service Discord. According to news reports, a $10 billion deal is on the table.

Discord is said to have initiated talks with Microsoft after hitting a valuation of approximately $7 billion in December 2020. Separate reports previously linked Amazon and Epic Games with a potential acquisition as tech giants look to cash-in on a surge in popularity for the gaming sector.

Some reports say that Discord was also considering an IPO, while others state that the app was in the final stage of exclusive talks with a potential buyer. The service launched in 2015 and counts more than 140 million monthly users. It raised a total of $480 million to date, with Tencent among its list of investors. In 2020, Discord became the fourth most downloaded mobile app in the US, with Apptopia estimating installations at 32 million.