What you need to know
- A new report states Discord has ended talks with Microsoft regarding a potential acquisition.
- It is said that Microsoft was in advanced talks to purchase Discord for at least $10 billion.
- Discord reportedly listened to offers from at least three companies but decided to remain independent.
Discord will not sell itself to Microsoft or any other company at this time, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Instead, Discord may look into becoming a public company at some point in the future. At least for now, it appears Discord will remain independent.
Earlier reports indicated that Microsoft was in advanced talks to purchase Discord for at least $10 billion, but those talks have seemingly halted. The WSJ notes that Discord fielded offers from at least three companies but ultimately decided to remain independent. It's also mentioned that while the talks between Microsoft and Discord ended without a deal, they could be rekindled in the future.
Back when rumors first emerged about a possible purchase of Discord by Microsoft, our senior editor Jez Corden said that "Microsoft can't let this one slip away." If the latest reports are accurate, it seems Microsoft may have let exactly that happen. It's worth noting, however, that Microsoft doesn't seem to have lost out on this deal to another tech giant. Instead, Discord appears to want to stay independent.
Even though Microsoft seemingly didn't lose Discord to a direct competitor, the loss will likely sting for the company. Corden's points regarding Microsoft messaging services being bad, Microsoft struggling in the social space, and the fact that Discord would help solve these issues all remain valid.
This is a breaking story. We will update it as more information becomes available.
