While many competitors could potentially take market share from Discord, it remains the most successful gaming-focused community app. Millions return to Discord daily to play with friends, catch up on individual game servers, and plan events with other users. However, a recent change from a Discord competitor introduces one of the strangest requirements seen in a long time.
Discord is currently focusing on gamers, offering opportunities for Twitch Drops-style loot for in-game characters and allowing developers to create games for the platform. Despite some criticisms—such as leaked Discord messages being sold on third-party sites and the introduction of ads—the general consensus is that the app remains one of the best for online gatherings.
Conversely, Guilded's latest change seems to discourage new users rather than compete with Discord. In a recent blog post, Guilded announced that "starting July 15, 2024, all accounts will require a Roblox account connection to access Guilded’s services." Users with existing accounts can use their email login until that date, but afterwards, a Roblox account is mandatory—no exceptions.
This move is quite bizarre. The company claims that connecting "Guilded and Roblox accounts will help better serve and grow communities. However, the number of users who use the app with a Roblox account is likely very small. While users receive an exclusive Roblox avatar for the inconvenience, this perk hardly seems worth alienating many members of the service.
Even stranger, in a Q&A below the blog post, Guilded states, "Guilded’s mission remains the same: to build the best communication platform for you and your communities," in response to a question about focusing on Roblox-exclusive communities. It would make more sense for the app to become a Roblox-focused hub for fans of individual games, especially if the game and app are cleverly interlinked.
In any case, this is a puzzling move. The change marks a significant shift in accessing the app and will likely drive away many users due to the new requirements, turning them away from potentially one of the best apps for iPhone and best apps for Android. We'll have to wait and see whether the change affects the returning and new user base, but prospects seem doubtful.