Microsoft reportedly interested in $10bn Discord buyout bid

Microsoft is one of several companies in talks to acquire Discord, a pair of new reports have claimed.

Both Venturebeat and Bloomberg [paywall] reported overnight on buyout discussions within Discord, with any sale expected to be worth $10bn.

One unnamed company is said to be in final negotiations over a deal, Venturebeat claimed, though no deal has yet been signed.

Alternatively, Discord may ultimately decide go public, Bloomberg's report suggested. Its sources claimed no deal was "imminent".

Discord continues to grow in popularity but is yet to turn an annual profit. The desktop, app and web-based chat platform is enormously popular among video games fans but is free to use, with limited extra features available to those who purchase its $10/month Nitro subscription.

Microsoft's interest in Discord comes as little surprise, and is reminiscent of the company's $8.5bn purchase of Skype back in 2011.

While Skype has become ubiquitous with online voice calls, Discord has grown its service to become a hobby-orientated chat hub - and Microsoft has shown its keenness to splash cash in the world of video games.