Discord is giving advertisers a direct way to plan, buy and track campaigns through its new Ads Manager, expanding beyond the sales deals most brands previously needed. Selected advertisers can use the tool now, with full self-service access planned for early 2027.
The platform also expands short video ads built for phones and introduces a premium version for major brand campaigns. These changes give agencies supporting clients on Discord more control over campaign planning, ad buying and measurement.
What changes for advertisers?
Discord launched Discord Ads Manager as a single place to plan, buy and track advertising campaigns. Select advertisers have access now, while full self-serve access is due in early 2027.
This opening is intended to serve companies of any size, including smaller game studios and marketers that may not have negotiated a direct advertising deal with Discord. The previous route required most brands to work directly with the chat app’s sales team.
Which new ad formats are available?
Discord is expanding Video Quests, a format in which users watch a short advertisement in exchange for an in-game reward. The mobile version asks users to watch for about 15 seconds, and brands can purchase these placements through Ads Manager.
Discord is also selling Video Quests Reserve directly to large brands. Advertising chief Adam Bauer told GamesBeat that more ad formats are planned and that the changes will help advertisers reach a broader range of users.
How is Discord presenting its current advertising?
Discord says it has more than 90 million daily users. The company began displaying ads in 2024 and filed confidentially for a stock market listing in January, according to Bloomberg.
For now, Discord’s ads remain understated. They appear as small pop-ups and sidebar cards that users open by tapping them. That presentation may offer a gradual way for advertisers to enter the platform while Discord continues expanding its advertising formats.
What concerns have users raised?
Some users are concerned that advertising, age checks and AI moderation could alter their experience of Discord. The platform’s co-founder and chief technology officer, Stanislav Vishnevskiy, has acknowledged a similar concern. He told Engadget last year, “I’m definitely the one who’s constantly bringing up enshittification.”
Those concerns sit alongside Discord’s broader expansion. Its new advertising tools give brands more ways to reach users, while the small pop-ups and sidebar cards currently provide a relatively limited form of on-platform promotion.
What should an agency check for client campaigns?
For agencies that manage client presence on Discord, the practical issue is access and measurement. Ads Manager combines planning, buying and tracking in one place, but only selected advertisers can use it now. Agencies should account for that limitation when advising clients about campaign availability and implementation timing.
Video Quests also changes the format clients must consider. These mobile ads request about 15 seconds of attention in exchange for an in-game reward, so campaign planning needs to account for the reward exchange, the phone-based experience and the way results will be tracked. Large campaigns that require premium placements may need to be discussed directly with Discord through the Reserve offering.
What to do now
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Check whether the client qualifies for the current selective access to Discord Ads Manager, since full self-service access is not due until early 2027.
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Review whether Video Quests fit the client’s audience and objective, including the approximately 15-second mobile format and its in-game reward requirement.
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Map the campaign workflow around planning, buying and tracking in Ads Manager so agency and client responsibilities are clear before buying begins.
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Consider the advertising experience alongside age checks and AI moderation, which some Discord users believe may change the platform.
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Contact Discord directly for a major brand campaign when the premium Video Quests Reserve format is the appropriate option.
Discord’s managed hosting fleet
For context on the technical maintenance involved in managing client websites, NewSunSEO’s hosting fleet was reported to contain 59 WordPress sites when it was read on November 2, 2026. Most sites ran PHP 8.3, version 8.3.36, while the PHP version for one site was not readable. All 59 sites were reported as running WordPress 7.1.4.
FAQ
What is Discord Ads Manager?
Discord Ads Manager is a tool for planning, buying and tracking advertising campaigns in one place. Select advertisers can use it now, and full self-serve access is due in early 2027.
How do Discord Video Quests work?
Video Quests are short advertisements that users watch in exchange for in-game rewards. The new mobile version asks users to watch for about 15 seconds, and brands can buy these ads through Ads Manager.
Who can advertise on Discord through Ads Manager?
Discord is opening its advertising business to companies of any size, with select advertisers able to use Ads Manager now. Full self-serve access is due in early 2027, and most brands previously needed a direct sales deal with Discord.
Sources
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