In an effort to enhance its advertising capabilities, Discord has rolled out a new in-app currency known as Orbs, which can be earned by watching commercials. Users can utilize these Orbs to acquire cosmetic items from the platform’s shop.

The initiative primarily rewards users for completing ‘quests’—essentially activities that involve viewing advertisements.

For instance, one of the quests I participated in during the beta phase required me to watch an ad specifically about Orbs, resulting in a gain of 150 Orbs.

I used 70 Orbs to purchase an Orbs badge. However, I found myself unable to afford further items, as the prices for some exclusive in-game content surged dramatically, with animated avatar borders costing 3,500 Orbs and a three-day subscription to Discord Nitro set at 1,400 Orbs.

Interestingly, Discord’s senior vice president of product, Peter Sellis, remarked that offering subscriptions for Orbs could attract users who are not yet familiar with Discord’s rewards or shop features.

Though the idea of accumulating Orbs for a free Nitro subscription is appealing, Sellis indicated that Discord will monitor the Orbs economy to prevent excessive rewards that could undermine Nitro’s value. The rollout will begin with a select number of users worldwide, with broader access expected soon.