Pixel P&L: Discord Has Found a Way to Make Users Hunt For Ads

When 22-year-old Tyler opens Discord these days, he doesn't scroll past ads, he actively hunts for them. That's because Discord has cracked the code on something every platform dreams of: making users actually want to engage with advertising. Their secret weapon? A virtual currency called 'Orbs' that turns ad viewing into a reward game, with over 70 brand campaigns hitting 10% acceptance rates as the company preps for its IPO debut.

In today's email: 

🔮 Orb-some Advertising: How Discord's virtual currency is revolutionizing user engagement with ads 

🤖 Xbox Gets an AI Wingman: Microsoft's Copilot AI arrives to help gamers level up their skills 

🐾 Wakanda Forever? Not at EA: Gaming giant axes Black Panther project and shutters studio 

Discord Launches Virtual Currency to Boost Ad Revenue Ahead of Potential IPO

Discord has unveiled a virtual reward system called "Orbs" designed to drive user engagement with its advertising platform as the messaging company prepares for a potential public offering.

Users earn Orbs by completing "Quests," Discord's interactive ad format where brands incentivize users to watch videos or play games in exchange for virtual rewards. The currency can be redeemed for exclusive digital items including Nitro subscription credits, profile badges and avatar decorations.

The initiative aims to demonstrate Discord's advertising scalability to potential IPO partners. The company has reportedly held discussions with investment bankers about going public, according to The New York Times.

Discord's senior vice president Peter Sellis reported that over 70 Quests achieved 10% acceptance rates in the past year, with millions of rewards distributed. The feature, currently available on PC, will expand to mobile devices in June and roll out globally after initial testing.

CD Projekt Reports Flat Q1 Sales Despite Strong Cyberpunk Performance

CD Projekt SA reported flat first-quarter revenue of PLN 226 million ($56 million) compared with the previous year, though the Polish game developer posted improved profitability driven by continued sales of "Cyberpunk 2077" and its "Phantom Liberty" expansion.

The Warsaw-based company's earnings before interest and taxes rose 18% to nearly PLN 96 million ($23.8 million), while net profit reached PLN 86 million ($21.3 million), representing a 38% profit margin. CD Projekt credited the performance to sustained demand for its flagship titles, with "Phantom Liberty" surpassing 10 million copies sold globally.

Development spending surged nearly PLN 90 million ($22.3 million) as the company accelerated work on "The Witcher 4," "Cyberpunk 2," and other projects. The studio now employs over 730 developers across multiple productions.

Looking ahead, CD Projekt announced "Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition" will launch alongside Nintendo's next-generation Switch console, marking the first time a company title serves as a platform launch game. The board proposed a PLN 100 million ($24.8 million) dividend and authorized share buybacks of up to PLN 20 million ($4.95 million).

Cash reserves stood at PLN 1.489 billion ($368 million) at quarter-end, providing substantial funding for the company's ambitious development pipeline.

⚡Quick Bytes

Microsoft Rolls Out AI Gaming Assistant on Xbox Mobile App

Microsoft began rolling out Copilot for Gaming on its Xbox mobile app, offering AI-powered game recommendations and assistance to users. The feature, available in 53 countries for English-speaking users 18 and older, connects to Xbox accounts to suggest games based on play history and provide gameplay tips, with broader expansion planned.

EA Cancels Black Panther Game, Shuts Down Cliffhanger Studio

EA canceled its Black Panther game and closed Cliffhanger Games, the studio announced just 18 months ago to develop the Marvel title. Entertainment president Laura Miele cited refocusing on "significant growth opportunities" including Apex Legends, Battlefield and The Sims. The closure follows 300 job cuts last month at the gaming giant.

EU Orders Apple to End App Store Anti-Steering Rules Within 30 Days

The European Commission ordered Apple to comply with Digital Markets Act rules within 30 days, requiring the tech giant to allow App Store developers to direct users to alternative payment systems without fees. Following a €500 million ($570 million) fine in April, Apple must permit unrestricted linkouts and promotional communications. Apple called the decision "unprecedented" and vowed to appeal, claiming it threatens user privacy and security.

⚔️Side Quest

📺 Listen: On The Verge's Decoder podcast host Nilay Patel and Daring Fireball's John Gruber dissect Apple's App Store legal defeats and cultural transformation from hardware-focused to services-driven giant. They reveal how corporate hubris led to high-profile courtroom losses.

🎮 Play: Slay the Spire masterfully fuses roguelike randomness with strategic deckbuilding, creating an addictive loop that spawned an entire subgenre. Every run feels fresh yet strategic, scratching both tactical and exploration itches simultaneously.

📚 Read: GI.biz’s interview with the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 team offers rare insights into one of 2025's most surprising success stories: how a 30-person team achieved 3.3M+ sales by rejecting industry trends, validating AA games, and choosing sustainable development over typical growth-at-all-costs mentality.

💡Did You Know

Crunchyroll started as an anime piracy site in 2006, hosting user-uploaded unlicensed content. Remarkably, the company even secured venture capital funding while still operating this way, before eventually transitioning into the legitimate licensed streaming giant that was acquired by Sony for $1.175 billion in 2021.

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