Discord Nitro is a subscription service with the Discord chat app that offers users a variety of perks, including server boosts, higher upload limits, and access to a free catalog of games. However, the final perk is about to change, as Discord has announced that it's getting rid of the free games option.
Players who currently have Nitro subscriptions will only have a limited amount of time to enjoy the games that are available. Discord has revealed that effective October 15th, the games catalog will be closed and no longer available. Gamers who have bought titles through Discord, however, will be unaffected and can still download and play their purchased games at their leisure.
The reasoning for this change is simply that Discord has noticed that few Nitro subscribers actually use the free game service. While it notes that there certainly are users who enjoyed the games, there weren't enough to make it worth it to renew the licenses for the games for another year. As a result, Discord is refocusing its efforts on improving the subscription service with more of a focus on its core interests; chatting and livestreaming gameplay with friends.
Some gamers who have signed up for a Nitro subscription in advance may not be happy about the change. The price will not be going down for the Nitro subscription. Thankfully, Discord has already foreseen this potential complication and is offering refunds to gamers who want to ditch their Nitro subscriptions now that games are being pulled. The company is also listening to any recommendations that users have for changes or additions they want to see.
While free games are always a nice bonus for players, Discord's service was one more added to an already long list of subscription services with open game catalogs. All the major consoles offer subscription services that allow players to enjoy a wide variety of games on the fly. If that weren't enough, Twitch also offers access to free games with Twitch Prime, which many gamers have access to through their Amazon Prime accounts. While some subscribers may miss Discord's game offerings, most will probably look to another subscription service for games, and many may already have access to one or more of them.
Source: Discord