Hey there, tech lovers! Today, let’s talk about Discord’s new fun feature called Orbs, which just went live out of its testing phase. The platform has introduced a cool way to earn virtual rewards that also boosts interactive advertising.

Originally tested during a seven-week beta, Orbs quickly became popular. Users earned these digital tokens by completing quests involving engaging with ads for various products or games. With millions of Orbs earned and spent, the community really enjoyed this new way to interact and earn rewards.

This innovative reward system offers digital goodies like a three-day Nitro credit, profile badges themed after Orbs, profile effects, or avatar decorations. These perks can be redeemed in Discord’s Shop, making the experience more engaging for users without needing a subscription.

Discord reports a significant surge in shop purchases—up to 16 times more than before—with a majority of buyers being new to the platform’s store. The company is also eyeing a potential IPO, showing that it aims to prove its ad-supported model can grow sustainably. Marketers find Orbs easy to use for launching Quest campaigns since they don’t have to create rewards from scratch.

Moreover, the system seems to attract non-paying users, encouraging more engagement and possibly leading to more Nitro subscriptions in the future. Although the impact on subscriptions remains uncertain, Discord has stated that 70% of Orb users were not members before trying the system.