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Discord Update: June 25, 2026 Changelog (opens in new tab)

Discord’s June 25, 2026 changelog focuses on making game discovery, mobile navigation, and social interactions more convenient. Highlights include a weekly Trending Games page, faster iOS uploads, improved mobile controls, easier friend invitations, and richer game information. Discord also adds organizational tools such as pinned DMs and channels. ## Trending Games - A new Trending Games page updates every Thursday. - It showcases popular single-player and multiplayer games across Discord. - The page is designed to help users find games to play or stream during game nights. ## Mobile Updates - **Tap to React** lets users double-tap a message to apply a preset emoji. - The shortcut emoji can be configured in **User Settings > Chat**. - A new **You Bar** gives mobile users quicker access to their identity and profile. - Mobile users must confirm before calling a DM or Group DM, reducing accidental calls. - iOS photo uploads are approximately **17% smaller** and have about **12% lower latency** after compression and performance improvements. - Wishlists are now available on mobile, including the ability to view other users’ wishlists. ## Chats, Channels, and Game Communication - Discord and Riot account linking is rolling out for **League of Legends** and **VALORANT**. - Players can view Discord friends in-game and invite them directly from the Riot game client. - DMs, Group DMs, and server channels can be pinned for easier access. - Voice invitations now indicate who is currently in the call, helping users avoid unexpected interruptions. - Desktop users are encouraged to send a wave after adding someone new, though they can send any message they choose. ## Expanded Game Profiles - Game Profile pages now include: - Screenshots - Supported platforms - Steam and OpenCritic reviews - Popularity on Discord - Links to the game’s official Discord server - Users can open these profiles by clicking a game’s name while someone is playing it. Discord’s updates primarily improve discovery and reduce friction across mobile, messaging, and gaming workflows. Users looking for additional changes can consult the latest monthly Patch Notes for bug fixes and other improvements.

You’re Now Discord Official: Developers, Claim Your Game and Verify Your Server (opens in new tab)

Discord is introducing “Discord Official,” allowing game studios and publishers to claim their game profiles and verify their official Discord servers. Developers can customize profile information, assets, links, and platform details while improving player trust and discoverability. At launch, the program supports playable PC games listed on Steam, including Early Access titles. ## Benefits of Becoming Discord Official - Creates a verified game profile players can trust when searching for or sharing the game. - Lets developers customize: - Game descriptions - Cover, icon, and banner art - Screenshots and other media - Social links, supported platforms, and publisher details - Connects the game profile to its verified Discord server. - Gives the server higher visibility in Discord Discovery. - Helps developers build communities that support updates, feedback, player engagement, and live-service development. - Discord reports more than 10,000 game communities and 80 million members as of December 31, 2025. ## Eligibility Requirements Before applying, developers must have: - A studio-owned Discord server ready for verification. - A playable game listed on Steam. - A Steam store page that links to the game’s Discord server. - A Team in the Discord Developer Portal. - A new or existing Developer Portal application for the game. - The Discord server owner added to the Developer Portal Team, since they must provide a verification code. At launch, only PC games available in Early Access or Full Release are supported. The program is limited to the actual studios and publishers behind the games. ## Claiming a Game and Verifying the Server - Open the game’s application in the Discord Developer Portal. - Select **Game Identity** under **Games**, then choose **Claim Game**. - Search for and select the game. - Complete the Game Claim Verification form. - The server owner receives a verification email and supplies its code. - Submit the application for Discord’s review. ## Ongoing Developer Features After approval, developers can update their game profiles to promote content updates, cosmetic releases, and new seasons. Discord also says it plans to introduce additional tools to make game development, testing, and community management easier. Studios with eligible Steam games should prepare their Developer Portal team, application, and server ownership details before applying through Discord’s **How to Claim Your Game** documentation.

Staff Picks, September 2025: Welcome to Our Video Game Museum (opens in new tab)

The Discord staff’s September 2025 feature celebrates National Video Games Day by asking employees which games deserve a place in their personal “video game history museum.” Their answers emphasize nostalgia, formative experiences, influential design, and the communities built around gaming. Recent favorites include *Hollow Knight*, *Balatro*, *Final Fantasy XIV*, *Oblivion*, and *The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III*. ## Games That Shaped Personal Gaming Histories - **Super Mario 64** - Became a formative experience through childhood play with a neighbor. - Its 3D graphics, controls, music, level structure, and iconic painting-based worlds made a lasting impression. - It helped inspire a later favorite, *Super Mario Sunshine*. - **The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time** - Described as a lifelong comfort game and the contributor’s definitive Zelda experience. - It has been completed 100% multiple times and remains deeply tied to personal memories. - The proposed exhibit would include the original cartridge and a heavily worn official strategy guide. - **Kingdom Hearts** - Represents powerful childhood nostalgia through its combination of Disney and *Final Fantasy*. - Obtaining the PlayStation 2 game and its strategy guide led to hours of play. - Although *Kingdom Hearts II* is the contributor’s favorite entry, the original is valued as the groundbreaking starting point of the series. - **The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III** - Highlights a sprawling JRPG series with interconnected arcs, countries, and characters. - Its strengths include extensive world-building, large character casts, and constantly updated dialogue for even minor NPCs. - The series’ eventual crossovers are compared to Avengers-style ensemble moments. - **Professor Layton and the Curious Village** - A last-minute purchase made because a strict birthday budget ruled out a new Pokémon game. - Its challenging puzzles and mystery narrative introduced the contributor to the appeal of story-driven games. - The experience encouraged a broader willingness to discover unexpected favorites. ## Games Staff Are Playing Recently - *Hollow Knight* is being replayed ahead of *Silksong*, with one contributor nearing 100% completion and another finally progressing after initially abandoning it twice. - *Balatro* has become highly addictive, with one player only one joker away from completing the collection. - *Final Fantasy XIV* has regained momentum after a partner began playing. - The *Elder Scrolls Oblivion* remake and *Lost Soul Aside* are also mentioned as current or anticipated games. - The contributors’ comments repeatedly connect current playtime to anticipation for *Silksong*. ## Gaming as Nostalgia and Community - The feature presents games as personal cultural artifacts rather than merely entertainment. - Physical items such as cartridges and strategy guides carry emotional value alongside the games themselves. - Several responses stress how games introduce players to new genres, stories, friendships, and communities. - The playful editorial notes about disappearing staff members after *Silksong*’s release reinforce the article’s informal, gaming-community tone. The article’s central recommendation is simple: revisit the games that shaped you, but also stay open to unexpected discoveries—whether through a discounted purchase, a friend’s recommendation, or a long-awaited sequel.

December Staff Picks: It’s Giving Games (opens in new tab)

Discord’s December Staff Picks explores the games employees have been playing recently and the gifted titles that shaped their lives. The contributors highlight a mix of MMORPGs, JRPGs, cozy multiplayer games, card games, and narrative adventures, emphasizing how games create lasting connections with friends and family. ## Scott’s Current Games - Scott, a member of Discord’s Quests team, recently introduced his husband to **Final Fantasy XIV**, a long-running personal obsession. - He is also playing: - **Metaphor: ReFantazio**, reflecting his enthusiasm for JRPGs and Atlus games. - **Marvel Rivals**, while trying to resist spending heavily on cosmetics. ## Games That Changed Scott’s Life - Scott identifies **NieR: Automata** and **Persona 5**, gifted by his best friend in 2018, as his most meaningful gifts. - **Persona 5** rekindled his interest in JRPGs and led him to explore more Atlus titles. - **NieR: Automata** stood out for its excellent gameplay, complex lore, tragic story, and emotional impact. ## Emi’s Cozy Multiplayer Lineup - Emi has been playing relaxed, social games such as: - **Kallax** - **WEBFISHING** - **Jigsaw Puzzle Dreams** - She is also progressing through **Yakuza Kiwami**. - Many of these games serve as a backdrop for chatting with friends. - Emi has recently played **Jackbox Party Pack 3** and **Jackbox Party Pack 6** with friends and family, using voice chat to stay connected across different states. ## Pokémon Blue and Family Memories - Emi’s most memorable gifted game is **Pokémon Blue**, which she and her brothers received alongside their Game Boys. - They spent time outdoors battling and trading Pokémon with link cables. - The game became an early foundation for shared gaming experiences with her family, a tradition that continues today. ## Cody’s Current Games - Cody has shifted from **Marvel SNAP** to the daily routine of **Pokémon TCG Pocket**. - He appreciates being able to open packs quickly without committing to a full match. - When playing competitively, he relies heavily on **Marowak EX**. - He is also playing **Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy** and working through the wider Ace Attorney series. - The games’ exaggerated characters, unexpected twists, and bizarre humor have produced reactions ranging from laughter to shock. ## Continuing Through Ace Attorney - Cody plans to play the remaining entries, including: - **The Great Ace Attorney** - **Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth** - He estimates that he is nearly halfway through the full series. The post presents gaming as more than entertainment: gifted games can inspire lifelong interests, while multiplayer and family games preserve relationships across time and distance.

October Staff Picks: Monster Season (opens in new tab)

October’s Discord Staff Picks frames the gaming backlog as the season’s real monster, while Discord employees share their recent games and favorite creatures. The recommendations range from long-form JRPGs and precision platformers to cozy building games, action games, and survival horror. Together, they emphasize making time for varied gaming experiences—even if the backlog keeps growing. ## Tyler’s JRPGs and Speedrunning - **Metaphor: ReFantazio** - A high-fantasy RPG with Persona-like systems. - Its “Bonds” feature lets players build relationships with NPCs to unlock and improve classes. - Tyler is about 15 hours into an expected 80-plus-hour adventure. - **Gravity Circuit** - A Mega Man-inspired indie platformer with tight controls. - Movement options include wall jumping, a hookshot, divekicks, and super moves. - Tyler is practicing the “Dog%” speedrun category, which requires rescuing and petting two hidden robot dogs. - The game’s music is memorable enough to linger outside of play. - **Favorite monster: Tonberry** - Tonberries appear cute and harmless but can defeat players in a single hit. - Their combination of adorable design and deadly attacks makes them ideal monsters. ## Serena’s Cozy Creativity - **Tiny Glade** - A relaxing building game with an animated fantasy art style. - Players freely create castles, landscapes, book-inspired settings, and D&D campaign maps. - Favorite features include decorating with flowers, participating in the “Theme of the Day” challenge, and interacting with sheep and ducks. - Serena discovered it through Steam’s Cozy section after friends could not join a *Baldur’s Gate 3* session. - **Favorite monster: Owlbear** - Serena’s favorite is the Owlbear from *Baldur’s Gate 3*, contrasted humorously with her own “scarier” broom-wielding presence in *Supermarket Together*. ## Yakuza, HELLDIVERS 2, and Horror - **Yakuza series** - After completing *Yakuza 0*, the contributor moved on to *Yakuza Kiwami*. - They particularly enjoy the series’ substories, including errands, puzzles, and other optional activities. - **HELLDIVERS 2** - Continued play includes dealing with both bug and bot missions. - Experimental mine use has created more accidental squad deaths. - **Alien: Isolation** - The Alien remains a favorite video game monster because of the contributor’s admiration for the *Alien* films. - Although they are reluctant to play the horror game themselves, they enjoy watching streams and gameplay clips. - They also note that a sequel is reportedly in development. ## The Backlog as the Seasonal Monster - The article treats unfinished games as a recurring “backlog monster.” - The staff’s selections show several ways to approach it: - Commit to a massive RPG. - Master a short, mechanically focused platformer. - Relax with a creative sandbox. - Continue a long-running series. - Enjoy frightening games vicariously through videos and streams. The practical recommendation is to embrace the backlog selectively: choose games that match your current mood, whether that means an ambitious adventure, a cozy creative outlet, or a terrifying game best experienced through someone else’s playthrough.