Discord is introducing a new commerce feature that allows users to purchase digital items for games such as Marvel Rivals, even if they do not play those games. Starting today, a new store page will be available within the official Discord server for Marvel Rivals, enabling users to browse, buy, and gift cosmetics directly through the platform without needing to launch the game client.
Users will have the ability to create wishlists for specific items, which can be viewed and purchased by friends. Stan Vishnevskiy, cofounder and chief technology officer of Discord, highlighted the wishlist and gifting features as key opportunities for both the platform and game developers. According to Vishnevskiy, a significant portion of purchases are gifts, with about 20 percent of transactions being gifts on any given day, and this number can increase to over 30 percent during holidays. The new store aims to extend gifting beyond Discord-specific items while ensuring developers receive value from the transactions.
The experience is designed to be straightforward for self-purchases in Marvel Rivals, but the process can be more complicated when buying for friends or for games that one does not play. Vishnevskiy pointed out that this feature allows game developers to reach potential customers who are friends of current players.
Initially, the shop will only support US currency and is available on the desktop app, though bringing the offering to consoles and mobile devices is a priority for the team. The decision to begin this feature with Marvel Rivals was influenced by the game’s large user base on Discord.
While this feature initially targets larger game publishers, Vishnevskiy indicated that the plan is to expand its availability to developers of all sizes over time. This new feature is part of a broader trend among media and gaming platforms to enhance user engagement, though Vishnevskiy emphasized that its goal is to enrich user experiences on Discord rather than merely prolonging user activity on the platform.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/835385/discord-shop-marvel-rivals-gifting-wishlist