Discord, the gaming social network, is reportedly getting ready to launch ads, according to those familiar with the company’s plans. This is a change from Discord’s previous policy of refusing to run ads.

The Wall Street Journal claims that these advertisements will make their debut on Discord’s free platform this week.

The goal of the video game firms’ adverts is to lure players in by offering rewards for accomplishing in-game objectives. It has been claimed that Discord intends to hire more than a dozen ad sales specialists in order to support this endeavor. Furthermore, the business has mentioned that customers would be able to turn off these advertising via their settings.

This is a significant development for Discord, according to the report, as the company and its CEO, Jason Citron, have consistently rejected the notion of depending on advertisements, much like many other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and many more.

Discord’s official confirmed that the company’s claims, as published by the Wall Street Journal, are true.

This comes as a number of internet services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and Paramount+, are introducing ad-supported tiers in an effort to increase income and attract users who might not otherwise choose premium, ad-free subscriptions.

Similar ad formats have shown to be effective on social media sites like TikTok, where users regularly use the platform to make direct purchases, leading to high conversion rates. The same is true for Facebook and Instagram, where users are buying products based on searches they conduct on the social media network.

Right now, Instagram is the most popular channel for selling advertisements; in the 30 days prior to the poll, 47% of customers said they had found clothing on the social media platform.