russia Reportedly Planning to Ban Discord Amid Growing Restrictions

russia is reportedly planning to block access to Discord in the coming days, adding the popular messaging platform to the list of Western services restricted in the country. Since its launch in 2015, Discord has become one of the leading online communication platforms, with over 200 million monthly users worldwide. It has especially gained popularity within gaming communities, serving as a central hub for gamers to connect, discuss, and engage in official game servers. However, russian users may soon lose access to this platform.

Discord Ban Amid Ongoing War with Ukraine

Since the start of the war with Ukraine in 2022, russia has imposed numerous restrictions on Western services. Instagram was banned shortly after the war began, followed by a ban on YouTube earlier in 2023. The russian government has also restricted access to popular video games such as Apex Legends and The Last of Us. Now, Discord appears to be the next platform targeted by russian authorities.

Discord Facing Potential Ban in Russia

According to PCGamer, the russian government is planning to implement a nationwide ban on Discord. This follows several rulings earlier this month by russia's state media regulator, which accused the platform of failing to block access to information that is prohibited in the country. Some russian users have already reported outages and have begun using VPNs to continue accessing Discord. Kommersant, a russian news outlet, has indicated that the ban could be enforced in the coming days.

This potential ban is expected to have a significant impact on russia’s gaming community. Vasily Ovchinnikov, head of the Organization for the Development of the Video Game Industry in russia, stated that many russian game developers rely heavily on Discord for communication with fans and for providing customer support. Despite this, the russian government has not yet announced a domestic alternative to replace Discord.

russia’s Increasing Isolation from Western Platforms

The ban on Discord is another example of russia distancing itself from Western technology and platforms amid the ongoing conflict. The country has reportedly been working on domestic alternatives to popular Western services, including a rumored russian competitor to Unreal Engine 5. Since 2022, russia has already been cut off from major platforms and services like Sony, Crunchyroll, and Pokemon GO. The potential Discord ban would further isolate russia’s gaming community from global communication networks.

This move would represent a significant blow to gamers and developers in russia, further limiting their access to global online communities and tools.