Microsoft Is in Exclusive Talks to Acquire Discord
March 25 2021 - 7:02PM
Dow Jones News
By Cara Lombardo and Maureen Farrell
Microsoft Corp. is in advanced talks to acquire messaging
platform Discord Inc. for $10 billion or more, according to people
familiar with the matter, as the software giant seeks to deepen its
consumer offerings.
Microsoft and Discord are in exclusive talks and could complete
a deal next month, assuming the negotiations don't fall apart, the
people said.
Originally favored by gamers, San Francisco-based Discord offers
voice, text and video chatting. The platform's popularity has
surged since the pandemic took hold as people stay home and connect
online -- as have those of other chat services like Facebook Inc.'s
WhatsApp and Signal Messenger LLC.
Microsoft, which has a market value of over $1.7 trillion, has
been on the hunt for an acquisition that would help it reach more
consumers. Last summer, it held talks to buy the popular
video-sharing app TikTok amid a high-profile geopolitical standoff
prompted by the Trump administration, before abandoning the
effort.
VentureBeat reported this week that Discord was exploring a sale
and had entered exclusive discussions with an unnamed suitor.
(More to come.)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 25, 2021 19:47 ET (23:47 GMT)
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