What Discord’s Embedded App SDK Means for Game Developers
Game developers understand the importance of reaching a wide and engaged audience. Discord, with its vibrant and dynamic community of around 200 million monthly active users, offers an unparalleled platform to showcase new games and connect with players. Expanding on the site's developer-focused approach, the platform just got even better for gamers with the unveiling of Discord's embedded app SDK which is expected to launch fully in August 2024.
With the ability to build embedded apps directly in the Discord platform, devs can create unique games and experiences within thriving communities. Users are already enjoying an influx of interactive content delivered directly to existing group chats, enabling developers to reach engaged audiences where they spend a lot of their time, in bustling servers and communities where friends gather to chat about games.
What is the Discord embedded app SDK?
The Discord embedded app SDK is a new native software development kit that enables devs to create interactive experiences within Discord chat groups. The new SDK allows devs to embed games into an iframe hosted inside Discord chats. This enables users to access apps, games and other innovative forms of interactive content within the same virtual space that they're already using to engage with their friends.
By allowing developers to add apps and games to a Discord side iframe, the platform enables seamless interactivity between its existing chat function and new third-party applications. Essentially, a new web page is opened inside the current chat window to ensure an intuitive and seamless experience for users.
What's so great about Discord's embedded app SDK?
Discord's game SDK has been used by select developers for a few years now to host native games and social applications. Found within the Discord Activities tab, until recently the SDK has been used mainly to support in-app integrations with select media platforms and mini-games. Basically, the original SDK was built to enable users to watch YouTube videos and play simple party games without leaving the site.
With the unveiling of the new embedded app SDK in March 2024, the ability to host interactive games and apps within the Discord platform has been extended to a wider range of developers. Not only does this mean more devs have the opportunity to distribute their ideas to a larger variety of engaged Discord users, but it signals the platform's continued commitment to supporting game development on the site.
Perhaps most importantly, the new Discord embedded app SDK enables users to access apps and play games directly inside open chat windows. This means not only are users being offered a wider array of apps to engage with, but they also no longer need to navigate to the Discord Activities tab to access them.
What can we expect from the new embedded app SDK?
By providing developers with accessible tools and native resources designed to ensure their apps work seamlessly within Discord's UI, we expect to see more creatives experimenting with app ideas. Discord have said they intend to focus on promoting in-app interactive experiences in the near future, with their own blog posts revealing they "want to make it easier for users to access apps" without leaving the site.
As more devs start experimenting with the Discord embedded app SDK, we can expect to see:
More interactivity
Under the previous version of the Discord SDK, interactivity was restricted to watching YouTube videos and playing simple games in the Activities tab. With the new Discord embedded app SDK, developers of all sizes can code bespoke games and interactive experiences directly into the Discord app to be promoted and engaged with by users in their own group chats. This allows devs to create a stronger connection with users in shared and engaging environments.
More funding
As Discord looks to place embedded apps at the core of its operations, the platform is ramping up its funding initiatives to support game devs. The Discord App Pitches 2024 program saw a top prize of $30,000 in funding awarded to select devs who submitted a pitch for a new app idea. When voting concluded in July 2024, the web-3 meta-RPG Soulbound emerged as the grand prize winner. With Discord committed to facilitating a thriving in-app community built around native games and social experiences, devs with great app ideas can expect more support than ever before.
More functionality
As an addition to the new Discord embedded app SDK, the site is planning to roll out a new update that enables users to add apps to their own accounts. Once implemented, the idea is that apps, games and Discord bots will be intrinsically linked to users. This will enable them to access their favorite applications across all aspects of the site, including existing servers and group chats.
These expected developments combine to suggest that on-platform games and apps will enjoy a rich presence across Discord in the immediate future. With the platform committed to helping developers create and promote new app ideas using native resources, and initiatives being enacted to help devs monetize on-site apps, the Discord SDK is laying the foundation for an exciting future on the platform.
Successful Discord activities to inspire your next app
With the new Discord embedded app SDK helping developers of all sizes add apps and games to active Discord servers, the platform is becoming a hotbed for innovation and cutting-edge ideas. Just take Chef Showdown for example, a compelling Discord Activity that can be played by simultaneously up to 15 participants in a live server-based voice channel.
For creators who want to make the most of these developments, but may be struggling for inspiration, below are some examples of currently successful Discord activities to inspire your next campaign.
Death by AI
What it does
A free-to-play Jackbox-style party game where AI decides your fate. Players are tasked with solving survival scenarios by crafting unique strategies that AI judges for creativity and feasibility.
Why it's great
Death by AI is a party-game example built around shared participation. Its format illustrates why an Activity needs a reason for friends to play together, as well as a plan for discovery.
TuneIn
What it does
A streaming service that offers live news, radio, sports, music and podcasts from around the world. TuneIn integrates directly into Discord servers to provide users high-quality audio content.
Why it's great
TuneIn connects users with a diverse range of audio content to keep server members entertained and provide perfect background music to set the scene for interactive activities and games. (TuneIn - Discord Music Bot)
Getting started with the new Discord game SDK
With the launch of the new Discord embedded app SDK, the steps devs must take when creating apps for the platform have changed slightly. Most importantly, as it doesn't make a lot of sense for the site to maintain two separate SDKs simultaneously, updates for the old Activities tab SDK will be discontinued.
Discord has said that apps built using the old SDK will continue to work for the foreseeable future, in part because both SDKs communicate with Discord in a similar way. However, they do recommend devs consider upgrading to the new SDK sooner rather than later to make the most of its cool new features.
Some of the features highlighted by Discord themselves include updates to the Rich Presence system that enable users to share real-time game data within chat windows. As well as improvements made to user lobbies, networking features, social graph functionality and Discord's built in voice tech solutions.
Installing the new Discord embedded app SDK
The new Discord embedded app SDK handles all Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) between a developer's own applications and Discord itself. By choosing to utilize this software, devs are supported in creating interactive applications and games specifically optimized to run seamlessly within the Discord platform.
For Activities development, start with Discord’s current Activities documentation and the Embedded App SDK package. The official SDK repository provides supporting resources. This is distinct from Discord’s Game SDK.
Teams let developers collaborate on an application. Consult Discord’s developer team management guide for current account and access requirements.
How to set your new application up for success
An Activity needs a reason for friends to use it together. Develop the experience around that shared activity, and use Discord’s official developer documentation for current integration requirements.