Discord Rebrand Criticized By Users Over New Logo, Possible Accessibility Issue

On May 13th, the team at instant-messaging giant Discord made a statement on Twitter announcing a company rebrand. With the post, they shared the new logo for the app, featuring the same game-controller character "Clyde," only less sharp and more symmetrical. The logo also boasts a new, arguably more fun typeface. The rebrand comes on the sixth anniversary of the application.

hey

we're updating our brand look. improved logo, font, colors. not too different: just a little friendlier.

Discord has become a place where people come to explore, grow, and belong. so we're updating our look to be just as welcoming: https://t.co/OedvENyboE pic.twitter.com/LyqCx9EyEH

— Discord (@discord) May 13, 2021

In the tweet, Discord cites wanting to make the logo "friendlier," and links a further breakdown of the full changes and their reasoning. Beyond a logo change, Discord also changed the general in-app color palette to make it brighter, notably saturating the "blurple" color they're known for. On the font change, Discord explained:

We explored hundreds of different fonts before landing on this very unique font face that we believe captures the playfulness of Discord. We even tweaked some elements of the font and letters so it’s easier to read than how it originally was.

Predictably, the rebrand sparked mixed-to-negative reactions from many users of the application. Some were critical of the changes to beloved mascot Clyde, but most took aim at the new font. In fact, Twitter user @RobPlayinGames commented on the post the day it was made with a photoshopped version of logo removing the font, challenging users to replace it with something better. This inspired numerous comments, many offering jokingly worse fonts, and others offering true competitors and going the extra step to change Clyde as well.

Challenge to all commenters: pick a better font. pic.twitter.com/14K7b1oY5B

— 🅁ob 🄿layin' 🄶ames (@RobPlayinGames) May 13, 2021

pic.twitter.com/co8y9V3Zx9

— Justin Whang 🐙 (@JustinWhang) May 13, 2021

literally the easiest thing i've done pic.twitter.com/oD5blqDCeD

— Z3R0 (@TwitrZ3R0) May 13, 2021

not my greatest attempt, but Avenir Next is a good friendly font in my eyes pic.twitter.com/ghtVKIchf2

— Schmerp (@schmerp_) May 14, 2021

pic.twitter.com/pKF4lPn6ea

— MSG (@MSGTheEpic) May 13, 2021

pic.twitter.com/JtMHtG3cB9

— !Hank (@HankxCool) May 13, 2021

In a more serious realm of discussion, one user tweeted complaining that the new shade of blurple potentially causes distress for people with visual processing problems, resulting in eyestrain and driving them away from the app. Discord responded to the tweet that day, promising to relay the issue internally.

"Blurple" causes! Friend of the stream Gescriben has a support item raising this concern specifically, https://t.co/hIk8Vpsg2w, which is absolutely worth voting up.
But also, we need to talk tactics.

— Local Roxy Haunted House Organizer (@KarklesMarx) May 14, 2021

thank you, its the bare minimum but if the issue gets resolved I can stop feeling conflicted about using and supporting discord.

— Local Roxy Haunted House Organizer (@KarklesMarx) May 14, 2021

Of course, not everyone was displeased with the rebrand. Many other users tweeted their praise for the app's new look, evidencing more than a little bit of, shall we say, discord among users of the app. All things considered, the rebrand definitely could have looked a lot worse — such as the new minimalist Firefox logo.

HAPPY BLURPTHDAY @discord ! As a graphic designer I'm kinda hyped for this rebrand it ways that are probably a bit too nerdy 💜💙 pic.twitter.com/tlhtydpCEB

— jam // hiatus (@itsblueinsanity) May 13, 2021

i’m gonna get flamed for this…

but i like the discord rebrand….

— leggos my beloathed (@giraffeleggos) May 14, 2021