Discord lays off 170 employees

Discord, the popular messaging service for gamers, has confirmed that it is laying off 17% of its workforce, amounting to 170 employees. The company had previously laid off around 40 employees in August.

The recent layoffs were deemed necessary for efficiency following a hiring surge in 2020, according to Discord CEO Jason Citron. As of August, based on data from PitchBook, Discord had a workforce of 870 employees.

Discord, a significant player in the tech industry valued at $15 billion in 2021, has confirmed its decision to lay off 17% of its workforce, which equates to 170 employees. Discord enjoys strong subscriber support, with users paying monthly fees to access additional features such as higher quality video streaming.

The firm also operates an online marketplace where users can purchase virtual goods to personalize their accounts.

However, the tech industry has seen a wave of layoffs since the start of 2024, suggesting a significant shift in the sector. Audible, Amazon’s audiobook division, announced a 5% staff cut to become “leaner and more efficient,” according to CEO Bob Carrigan.

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, laid off hundreds of workers to refocus on the company’s top product priorities. Unity Software and security company Trend Micro also announced layoffs, cutting 25% and 2% of their workforces respectively.