New information from a source with a history of accurate leaks hints that full Discord integration on the PlayStation 4 and 5 may be included as part of a future system update for Sony’s consoles next year. This news comes following recent updates to the Discord mobile app on iOS that saw some users receive prompts to join Discord voice chat on PlayStation 5, even though that feature is currently unavailable on PlayStation.
Discord is a voice chat and messaging app released in 2015 that has become indispensable for many gamers in recent years. Combining the VoIP functionality of programs like TeamSpeak with the ability to create individual servers with chat rooms and topic threads, Discord lets players quickly connect with teammates without having to rely on the sometimes spotty communication options built in to many multiplayer games. The ability to create a persistent space tailored around communities has also made Discord popular with game developers and streamers, who can now receive instant feedback from their most ardent fans. Discord is free to download and use, but users can pay for Discord Nitro to unlock additional functionality such as custom stickers within the app.
New information from Tom Henderson, a source who has accurately reported on previous PlayStation updates, indicates that full Discord integration will be coming to PlayStation 4 and 5 as part of the 7.00 update, scheduled to release on March 8th, 2023. No reason was given for why the PlayStation update would follow so long after the integration features were added to the Discord mobile app as opposed to being included with the 6.50 software update scheduled for January. The ability to use voice chat to communicate with teammates on other platforms or simply chat with friends while playing games could be a huge quality of life improvement for PlayStation gamers, bringing Sony in line with the competition after Microsoft added Discord voice chat to Xbox consoles earlier this year.
PlayStation users have already been able to link a PlayStation account with Discord since early 2022, with integration between the two services limited to sharing players’ game activity. With this new update, however, PlayStation gamers would be able to access many of Discord’s best features directly from their console without needing a PC or mobile device. For players who have an established social group on Discord already, this would allow them to stay in touch no matter what device they play on.
Discord became a success across PC and console gaming by taking the best features of existing chat software and combining them into one easy to use program, and PlayStation integration would make it even more convenient. As cross-platform play becomes increasingly common in multiplayer titles, being able to connect through Discord whether on a PlayStation or a PC should make it easier for gamers to stop fighting with in-game VoIP solutions and focus instead on helping their squad take the fight to the other team.
Source: Insider Gaming