Discord App Backtracks on Crypto Tool After Backlash From Users

(Bloomberg) -- Discord Inc. backpedaled on incorporating cryptocurrency into its popular chat app, responding to objections from subscribers and other users saying crypto harms the environment.

Jason Citron, the chief executive officer, had posted an image Monday on Twitter teasing an apparent new feature that would integrate Ethereum wallets and non-fungible tokens into Discord. On Thursday, after a vocal protest from users, he said it’s not happening.

The initial teaser set off days of backlash this week. Subscribers threatened to cancel their paid accounts, and some users advocated for a boycott. Discord, which hosts custom text and voice chat rooms similar to Salesforce.com Inc.’s Slack, is especially popular among video game players.

The games industry has been particularly conflicted about crypto. Critics note that digital mining and transactions consume large amounts of energy and are therefore harmful to the earth. Even still, several major game publishers have said they’re exploring ways to build blockchain systems into their games.

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