Discord, the gaming-centric chat platform with over 200 million monthly active users, is undergoing a seismic shift in leadership and strategy. On April 23, 2025, the company announced that Jason Citron, its co-founder and CEO, is stepping down, to be replaced by Humam Sakhnini, former Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of Activision Blizzard. Citron will remain on the board and serve as an advisor, while Sakhnini assumes the CEO role on April 28. This transition, coupled with Discord’s confirmation of plans to become a public company, signals a bold pivot toward growth and monetization, raising both excitement and apprehension among its vast user base.
Sakhnini’s appointment is a calculated move as Discord eyes an initial public offering (IPO), potentially as early as this year. With a valuation of $14.7 billion and $1.1 billion raised, according to PitchBook, Discord has been meeting with investment bankers to prepare for the public market. Sakhnini’s resume is tailor-made for this moment. Before his tenure as Activision Blizzard’s Vice Chairman, he served as Chief Financial Officer and President of King Digital Entertainment, the mobile gaming giant behind Candy Crush, following its 2016 acquisition by Activision. His leadership at King boosted operating income from $600 million to $1.3 billion, showcasing his knack for scaling businesses in the public eye. His earlier eight-year stint at McKinsey & Company further equips him to navigate the financial complexities of an IPO.
Discord’s evolution from a gamer-focused voice chat app to a broader social platform has been remarkable. Launched in 2015 by Citron and CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy, it became a lifeline for communities during the pandemic, hosting everything from gaming servers to study groups. However, 2024 saw Discord refocus on its gaming roots, exploring revenue streams like advertising and microtransactions. Sakhnini’s experience managing blockbuster franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft aligns with this strategy, positioning him to deepen Discord’s integration into the gaming ecosystem. In a statement, he called Discord a “foundational part of the gaming ecosystem,” emphasizing its potential to connect players, developers, and publishers.
The IPO announcement, while anticipated, has sparked mixed reactions. Citron’s memo to employees framed Sakhnini’s hiring as a step toward “someday becoming a public company,” a sentiment echoed in his VentureBeat interview where he noted, “Hiring someone like Humam is a step in that direction.” Discord’s financial health—positive adjusted EBITDA for five consecutive quarters and strong revenue growth—bolsters its case for going public. Yet, users on X express concern, with some predicting “microtransaction overload” or even the platform’s “enshitification” under Sakhnini’s corporate influence. One user quipped, “Get ready for $5 chat tokens to talk in your private server,” reflecting fears of aggressive monetization.
Sakhnini’s Activision Blizzard tenure, particularly at King, fuels these worries. Candy Crush thrives on microtransactions, a model that clashes with Discord’s historically user-friendly ethos. The platform’s recent testing of face and ID scanning for age verification, alongside Sakhnini’s appointment, has raised privacy concerns. Critics warn that combining Activision’s business practices with Discord’s vast user data could lead to exploitative practices, though the company insists it prioritizes privacy. These fears are speculative but rooted in the gaming industry’s trend toward profit-driven decisions, as seen in Activision’s controversial loot boxes in Overwatch 2.
Citron’s departure after 13 years is bittersweet. He described building Discord as “one of the most rewarding experiences” of his life, expressing confidence in Sakhnini’s ability to scale the platform while preserving its mission. His move to an advisory role allows him to step back, with plans to play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Baldur’s Gate III. Meanwhile, Vishnevskiy remains CTO, ensuring technical continuity.
As Discord prepares for its public debut, Sakhnini’s challenge is to balance growth with user trust. His track record suggests he can deliver financial success, but winning over a skeptical community accustomed to Discord’s free, open spirit will be tougher. The platform’s next chapter hinges on whether Sakhnini can honor its gaming legacy while navigating the pressures of Wall Street. For now, the gaming world watches closely, hopeful yet cautious about Discord’s future.
