Discord wants to become Patreon with these new features

Whether it’s the latest additions to the Nitro subscription service, or the new username format, there’s been plenty happening over on Discord. Now the platform is getting even more features with the addition of new methods of monetization for ‘Server Subscription’ subscribers.

‘Server Subscriptions’ are a monthly subscription for servers that helps support the creators and communities who run them by offering unique perks and benefits under a paywall. To help bring more value to the service, which was introduced by Discord in December of last year, a series of new features and benefits are being added to the service, which plan to go live over the next few months.

The first new feature to the Server Subscription service is the Media Channels Beta. Media Channels are a media focused channel type which will allow users to share subscription-only content, such as “exclusive memes and wallpapers.”

Similar to sites like Patreon, this means is that the content on a Media Channel will be locked from members of your community and channel behind a paywall, unless they’re subscribed. Discord is also providing server owners the chance to set new subscription tiers, where the perks offered for each tier can be defined and set by the user creating them.

One-off digital products will also be available to sell by creators to help with monetization, such as recipe e-books, gaming guides and digital wallpapers, as “downloadables.”

The option of purchasing a premium role bundled alongside any downloadable will also be available, or community members can choose to purchase them separately.

Finally, Discord is also testing the roll-out of a Server Shop, a one-stop online shop where server owners and creators can sell their subscriptions, downloadables, and premium roles.

While these new features will be beneficial to content creators and creatives who already use Discord to boost and grow their online communities, it does make me worry about what they will mean in the future for those who use Discord primarily as a free, gaming social media platform.