Discord has announced new advertising tools designed to expand its advertiser base, including the Discord Ads Manager platform that allows companies to manage campaigns in one centralised location with forecasting and performance tracking capabilities. The tools represent Discord's effort to open advertising to smaller businesses and studios that previously required direct sales relationships, making the platform accessible to advertisers of all sizes. This expansion is linked to the company's confidential IPO filing and reflects a strategic push to monetise beyond premium subscriptions and game sales.

The Ads Manager will initially be available to select advertisers, with self-service access launching in early 2027. Discord is simultaneously expanding its Video Quests format, rebranding it as Video Quests Reserve for premium, reservation-based advertising. Since debuting without ads until 2024, Discord has progressively introduced monetisation features, though some users remain concerned that expanded advertising and other recent changes could fundamentally alter the platform's character. The company maintains that ads are necessary for financial viability, and Discord's leadership has acknowledged the importance of implementing monetisation thoughtfully to avoid degrading user experience.