I'm guessing this will lead to more things being locked behind their subscription model. Ransoming core features for cash is the standard template of this process.
this post was submitted on 10 Jan 2026
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Don't use Discord!
IRC and Matrix are better, free alternatives.
Discord got popular because it did Skype and Mumble better than both, but it has suffered a lot from Enshitification
I use both matrix and discord regularly and matrix is nowhere near a viable alternative for discord, the way they work is just too different. The only real alternative I've been able to find is guilded but it's no better than discord since it's still completely centralized and closed source
I'm on Matrix. That felt like an epic accomplishment that required both mobile and desktop. I don't remember why it was so difficult, but the registration/login/association process was awful. Maybe that's just Matrix.org.
Looking for things to do with my Pi that I'm upgrading today with an SSD. Maybe I'll run my own Matrix server on it so that there can be something else technically running with no traffic.
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I don’t want to use it but the thing is I need to convince my friends and the 50 servers I’m in to switch too…
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Well the developers, like all techbros, have been sweetening up Discord to what it is. Once they find a pretty buyer, they'll sell it for top dollar. That's the real completion cycle of enshittification. Some private firm will have it or someone like Microsoft may have it and do to it like they've done with Skype.
They did, at least, be smart enough to already say no to a buyout attempt by Microsoft a few years ago
I genuinely do not know how that would change anything. It‘s already monetized thoroughly. They will just add even more ad campaign quests and stuff which you can ignore.
Until they lock it up where you can't. Or they'll decide on selling data and injecting ads into your convos or streams.
In other words this hasn't been enshittified to the max yet at all. There are new and horrible depths to explore.
Oh, sweet summer child.
You just wait.
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Wonder what’ll be next after Discord enshittifies and alienates all the current users.
There's like 4 contenders, but all missing the crucial thing, critical mass of users
It's been enshittifying for a while now.
Who the hell would pay $12 for some fancy profile template? Who'd pay $6 just for an animated thing that revolves around your profile picture? Half of that garbage obstructs your profile.
Not even subscribing to their $10 Nitro deal is worth it. Wow, you get to have a poor selection of ways to display your name. Maybe if a server you really love to be in was active and could take advantage of some of the things advertised, probably might be worth it. But a lot of the time, I'm in servers that don't so I don't see a point.
You’re right, guess I should’ve said “enshittify further”.