In context: Last month, reports claimed that popular gaming-oriented chat client Discord was considering a $10 billion sale to Microsoft. The community’s reception to that news was mixed, to say the least — many users feared for the privacy of their conversations, or new rules and restrictions brought on by the control of a tech giant.
However, those individuals can breathe a sigh of relief now. According to a new Wall Street Journal report, Discord’s talks with Microsoft have fallen through: the former has walked away from the negotiating table to reconsider its options. The outlet says Discord has “fielded interest” from at least three companies regarding a potential sale so far, but it seems none of their offers have been persuasive.
While it’s unclear exactly what ended the buyout talks between Discord and Microsoft, there at least a couple of contributing factors. First, the WSJ’s sources claim, Discord is happy with how things are going now. It’s “performing well” (though it still is not profitable) and would prefer to stay independent, at least for the time being.
Second, multiple reports suggest Discord is considering the possibility of taking itself public. Being bought out by a tech giant would jeopardize those plans, so it’s perhaps understandable for the service to get cold feet with Microsoft (and presumably its other suitors).
At the end of the day, all we can do is speculate. Discord’s executives are the only ones who truly know what the future of the platform will look like. Regardless, we’re along for the ride, and we’ll let you know if any new information regarding the chat client’s plans comes to light.
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