Discord Now Testing Voice Chats on Xbox

pcmag.com:

Discord is bringing voice chats to Xbox.

The popular messaging platform is currently testing voice chat integration with members of the Xbox Insider Program. A broader release is "coming soon," Discord says(Opens in a new window), but for now it seems the company wants to make sure everything is hunky-dory before an official debut.

There's a lot to check, because Xbox owners won't be able to make calls straight from their devices. Instead they'll have to connect their Discord account to their Xbox account, start a call in the Discord mobile app, then use the Xbox mobile app to transfer that call to their console.

This multi-step process means that voice chatting via Discord isn't going to be painless for Xbox owners. At least it will be an option, though, which is more than PlayStation owners can say, even though Sony Interactive Entertainment partnered(Opens in a new window) up with Discord in May 2021.

"We look forward to continuing our partnership with Xbox and creating even deeper, more meaningful experiences for your friends and communities," Discord says. "Who knows what the future holds! Besides more video games, obviously."

We can guess what the future might hold. Bloomberg reported(Opens in a new window) in March 2021 that Microsoft was looking to acquire Discord for more than $10 billion, and even though that deal was canceled(Opens in a new window) a month later, it seems the companies haven't given up on the idea of getting a little closer.

Discord says that voice calls will be supported in direct messages, channels, and group messages alike. More information about testing Discord voice chats on Xbox (and using the feature after it's officially released) is available via the messaging platform's website(Opens