Discord, the popular text, voice, and video communication service, has announced a major update to its username functionality, marking the first major change to usernames in the eight years since the platform was launched. Originally designed with PC gamers in mind, the app has become a staple of the gaming community across various platforms, including PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
Currently, usernames on Discord consist of custom names with a discriminator (a set of four random digits, attached to ensure uniqueness); this system will be replaced with a new format in which users will create unique, all-lowercase usernames preceded by an “@” symbol — similar to Twitter handles.
This change aims to streamline the process of adding friends and identifying users on the platform and Discord’s profile pictures, friend nicknames, and server nicknames will remain unaffected.
Discord’s Display Name and New Username Profile Card
This new update will be rolled out gradually over the next few weeks, with users being notified when they are eligible to change their usernames. The change will also introduce display names, which will be the most prominent form of identity on Discord; Display names will allow emojis, spaces, and uppercase characters.
Usernames, on the other hand, will be limited to alphanumeric and select special characters. Older accounts will be eligible for new usernames first, but eventually, all users will need to update their names (regardless of whether they are subscribed to Discord Nitro).
The new update brings changes that aim to streamline the process of adding friends and identifying users on the platform.
Discord has solidified its position as the top social platform for gamers by incorporating one of Twitter’s most popular features and, as other social media platforms (like Twitter) remove their gaming features, Discord remains a go-to hub for the gaming community across various platforms.
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