Who founded Discord and when was it launched?
Jason Citron and Stanislav Vishnevskiy founded Discord, which launched publicly in May 2015. The company was initially named Hammer & Chisel before rebranding to Discord.
Common questions about Discord
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Discord pivot away from video gaming to become an all-purpose communication client?
Discord announced a strategic pivot away from video gaming in June 2020 to become an all-purpose communication client. This rebranding included a new slogan and a revised website designed to improve the onboarding experience for non-gamers.
What programming languages are used to build Discord?
Discord is written mostly in Elixir and Python, with significant portions in Rust, Go, and C++. The software operates across more than 30 data centers in 13 regions to ensure low latency.
When was Discord blocked in Russia and why?
Russian regulator Roskomnadzor blocked Discord on October 8 after demanding the removal of 947 posts containing illegal content and fining the company 3.5 million rubles in September 2024.
Who became the CEO of Discord after Jason Citron stepped down?
Humam Sakhnini, a former Activision Blizzard executive, became CEO in April 2025 after Jason Citron announced he was stepping down from the role. Citron remained on the board of directors to support the company's transition to a publicly traded entity.