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Bringing In-Game Commerce to Discord Communities (opens in new tab)

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Discord is introducing in-game commerce directly inside gaming communities, beginning with Marvel Rivals. Players can browse, purchase, wishlist, and gift cosmetics through Discord, while developers gain a social distribution channel beyond their existing storefronts. The company presents the launch as an initial experiment that will inform broader platform, regional, and developer support.

Building on Discord’s Commerce Experience

  • Discord says its Shop has demonstrated strong interest in socially driven purchases.
  • Nearly 20% of Shop purchases are gifts, increasing to almost 30% during holidays and seasonal events.
  • Features such as Wishlists and Nameplates have helped make commerce more integrated into everyday Discord interactions.
  • Official game communities give developers access to highly engaged players, including people who may not currently be playing.
  • Social discovery expands the potential customer base: friends can discover and purchase items from one another’s Wishlists, even if they do not play the game themselves.

Marvel Rivals Launches In-Server Commerce

  • The initial rollout is taking place in the official Marvel Rivals Discord server.
  • More than 80% of Marvel Rivals players reportedly use Discord daily.
  • Players can:
    • Browse and buy cosmetics and bundles, including Costumes, Emotes, Emojis, MVPs, Nameplates, and Sprays.
    • Create Wishlists and view friends’ Wishlists.
    • Gift items through direct messages.
    • Send gifts even without playing Marvel Rivals themselves.
    • Access purchased items in-game through secure Discord account linking.
  • The launch coincides with the game’s first anniversary and the holiday gifting season.

Connecting Discord and Game Accounts

  • Marvel Rivals has also integrated Discord-powered social features through Discord’s Social SDK.
  • Account linking keeps players connected across Discord and the game.
  • Discord reports that partners using these integrations have seen up to 36% more game days among linked players.
  • The broader Social SDK has previously been associated with playtime increases of up to 48%.

Future Plans for Developers and Players

  • Discord describes the Marvel Rivals rollout as a learning phase.
  • Future work will focus on:
    • Gathering player and developer feedback.
    • Refining the commerce experience.
    • Exploring connections with other parts of Discord’s economy.
    • Expanding support to additional regions and platforms.
    • Bringing commerce capabilities to more game communities.
  • Discord frames the initiative as a way to create incremental revenue for developers while making it easier for players to discover, discuss, and celebrate games.

Developers interested in adding commerce to their Discord communities can contact Discord’s business development team, while Marvel Rivals players can access the features through the game’s official server.