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Gaming isn't just for entertainment. It's for community, connection, and for many, a tool for mental wellness. While Mental Health Awareness Month may have wrapped up in May, our commitment to supporting Discord users' wellbeing is a year-round priority. As we move into summer, a time when many people are looking to connect and unwind, we wanted to share some concrete ways we're making a supportive space for people to build meaningful connections around the joy of playing games.
We know that games have the power to do more than entertain, which is why we recently partnered with Wicked Saints Studios, a game studio that combines behavioral technology with interactive media to drive social good through play, on their mobile game teaser launch, World Reborn. World Reborn’s mission is to empower Gen Z to build a better world and live a happier life through real-world quests that encourage personal growth and positive action.
As part of our collaboration, we worked with them to develop a training mod—a special in-game mission designed to inspire teens both in-game and IRL. This mission, led by TheMayhemMermaid, helps players embrace their authentic selves, introduces them to Discord’s tools and resources, and equips them for a positive experience on Discord.
As of June 2025, based on a survey conducted by Wicked Saints with 136 players, 97% of players in their feedback survey report that the training mods made them feel good overall and 84% felt inspired by the training mods. With one of the longest modules in the game, Wicked Saints reported that over 1.3k players practiced authenticity via Discord’s training mod, with over 50% of players choosing to complete the bonus activity that encouraged them to post a note of thanks to either a Discord server or any other community in which they feel authentically themselves. This work further demonstrates how gaming is more than just play - it’s a space for personal expression, learning, connection, and can lift people’s moods! The game is available on iOS stores in the US, UK, and Canada until June 30th. Check out a few images below of our mission!
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In February 2025, we asked over 500 community moderators and managers about their experiences supporting mental health in their servers, and their insights are shaping our next steps. Here's what we learned:
We're preparing a full report with concrete action based on these insights - check back at the end of June for the complete findings and next steps!
Supporting players' mental health and wellbeing is a collaborative effort, and at Discord, we’re always looking for new ways to share knowledge and resources. We’re thrilled to announce two new initiatives geared towards industry-wide collaboration.
Our Sr. Director of Product Policy, Savannah Badalich, has joined the Board of Directors at Thriving in Games Group (TIGG). TIGG unites hundreds of gaming organizations worldwide to drive positive change in online gaming by promoting thriving communities, combating harmful behaviors, and empowering everyone with the tools and knowledge to create positive spaces through resources such as the Digital Thriving Playbook.
We’ve also joined The Mental Health Coalition and Meta’s Thrive initiative. This first-of-its-kind cross-industry program will allow platforms to share signals to help stop the spread of violative and concerning suicide and self-harm content online. Alongside Dr. Dan Reidenberg and other member companies, we’re leading efforts to identify industry-wide guidance surrounding such content.
We're expanding our wellbeing work into the academic esports space through our partnership with the University of Agder's esports program. At this year’s Academic Esports Research Seminar, our Global Teen Wellbeing Policy Manager, Kristelle Lavallee, organized and participated in a panel titled "Building Positive Esports Communities: Enhancing Wellbeing, Safety, and Inclusion," alongside Matt Soeth from the Thriving in Games Group and Dr. Rachel Kowert, exploring how academic esports shape our digital society and future workplace, examining its role in education, remote collaboration, and technological literacy.
Kristelle also led co-creation sessions with University of Agder undergraduate and graduate students to gather insights about how platforms like Discord can better serve esports communities. Students helped design esports-specific features and templates focused on safety-first community building and effective moderation tools.
We're excited to continue our work in the esports space and look forward to deepening our collaboration with the Academic Esports Research Network as we explore new ways to support positive digital communities in competitive gaming environments!
We believe in the power of bringing diverse voices together to drive meaningful change for our users worldwide. In June, we hosted a policy roundtable - “Gaming, Wellbeing, and EU Policy” in Brussels. We brought together leading voices - from European policymakers, industry leaders, safety advocates, and academics - to explore how gaming can be a positive force for wellbeing and foster personal connections. Dr. Rachel Kowert and Matt Soeth, Executive Director of the Thriving in Games Group, joined us to challenge common myths surrounding gaming and wellbeing, and to highlight how intentional game design can foster prosocial behavior.
Every year, diverse voices join together at the Games for Change Festival to explore how games can break down barriers between generations, perspectives, and sectors. This year’s theme is "Designing for Tomorrow,” and will showcase how collaborative design and play can transform entertainment into measurable impact.
We are excited to return to the Festival this year and to host a mainstage talk with myself (Patricia Noel, LMSW, and Discord’s Global Mental Health & Wellbeing Policy Manager) and Dr. Rachel Kowert, an internationally acclaimed expert in mental health, trust, and safety in digital games.
In this talk, we’ll explore insights from Discord's research and report, Promoting WellBeing Through Online Communities: Understanding User Mental Health. We will cover key findings on the positive impact of games and online platforms on mental health, learn which tools users find most effective for their mental health, and how Discord is leveraging this data to enhance the user experience.
I will also present the Best in Health & Wellness Award at the Games for Change Awards Ceremony, helping to celebrate the year’s best games and immersive experiences!
While we work on these longer-term initiatives, support is available today for anyone who needs it. We are proud to continue to partner with Crisis Text Line and ThroughLine Care to provide resources for our users.
Users in the United States can text DISCORD to 741741 to connect with a live volunteer Crisis Counselor at Crisis Text Line, a free, 24/7, confidential text-based mental health support service available in English and Spanish. Check out our Supporting Youth Mental Health: Discord’s Partnership with Crisis Text Line to learn more about Crisis Text Line and what to expect when one reaches out. Crisis Text Line is available to users of all ages.
In addition to Crisis Text Line, our partnership with ThroughLine Care allows many users outside of the United States to find free, confidential support in their country via chat, text, or phone via a global network of vetted helplines. Users can head to discord.findahelpline.com to search what’s available to them by country and topic. Available in 11 different languages, users will also find operating hours, contact information, and psychoeducation based on the topic.
To anyone searching for support, a crisis is not limited to life-threatening situations. A crisis can be any difficulty you or someone you care about is going through.
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