Game night with friends is about to get a heckuva lot easier, thanks to Discord.
At Monday’s annual Game Developers Conference (GDC), the social platform introduced its new Social SDK. This “software development kit” allows dev teams of all sizes to enhance their games’ multiplayer experiences by integrating social features that connect players.
The tool is cross-platform, which means PC gamers can seamlessly communicate with console users during gameplay.
Don’t worry —you don’t need an existing Discord account to enjoy in-game connectivity. While Discord’s news release explains that “linking is available for those who wish to connect their in-game experience to their Discord account,” gamers can utilize these features without registering for an account. This means one less step for some of the global platform’s 200 million average monthly users. According to the brand, playtime triples for gamers using its voice chat feature.
Discord reveals some teams have already begun working with their SDK, including ” Theorycraft Games, Facepunch Studios,1047 Games, Scopely, Mainframe Industries, Elodie Games, Tencent Games and more.” They continue, sharing that “Discord Social SDK is compatible with C++, both Unreal Engine and Unity, and supports Windows 11+ and macOS. Support for console and mobile is coming soon.”
Other gamer perks include a consolidated in-game friends list that connects players across platforms, direct invite capabilities from in-game friends, one-click game joins, and displayed game activity on Discord profiles.
Gamers aren’t the only ones benefiting from Discord’s new launch; the team at Discord assures devs that boosting connectivity, community, and communication has the potential to broaden their games’ reach like never before.
Discord Co-Founder and CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy explains: “For game creators from indie to AAA, Discord is where you can connect with the world’s largest and most engaged community of players to fuel the growth of your game before, during, and after launch. Game discovery and retention have never been so critical, and we’re excited to help developers grow their games by reaching gamers where they are.”
Discord’s closed beta is available to devs interested in incorporating title-specific Discord channels, cross-platform and multiplayer capabilities, voice chat, and in-game messaging.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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