Discord Logo and Symbol: Meaning and Brand History

Discord came into being in 2015 as an ambitious startup devised to solve the age-old problem of gamers – the need to use several programs for communication during games. The founders of the platform, Jason Citron and Stanislav Vishnevsky, created a universal solution that combined text and voice chat, file transfer and a convenient server system.

In a matter of years, the project has evolved from a niche gaming messenger into a global communication platform with an audience of over 150 million active users monthly. Let’s find out what the Discord logo is and its meaning.

Discord Logo History: The Birth of a Gaming Symbol

The platform’s trademark was also introduced at the same time. The original Discord logo was a minimalist combination of the text “DISCORD” and a square icon with a controller on a purple background. This choice was not accidental — the founders wanted to underscore the gaming focus of the service and its close connection with gaming culture.

The meaning of the Discord logo, in fact, directly reflects this intention. When users wonder what color is the Discord logo, they discover that its signature purple color (known as Blurple) has become a signature color for the brand, symbolizing the platform’s friendliness and creativity.

The first Discord logo philosophy:

Discord old logo embodied several key principles:

• Simplicity and recognition;
• Connection with the gaming industry;
• Modern minimalist style;
• Emphasis on the communication component;
• Unique color code.

Discord Logo Evolution

While the initial design served its purpose well, the team knew that the Discord logo needed to be changed. The gamepad in the emblem, while reflecting the platform’s gaming roots, still limited the perception of the service as a purely gaming chat. As the company grew in popularity among communities ranging from artists to musicians, a question of what the discord logo is supposed to be became increasingly relevant.

2015 Discord Logo: Technical Features 

The old Discord logo showed great scalability and adaptability even in PNG, which are critical characteristics for a digital product. The font solution was clear and legible even at minimal sizes. The geometry of the controller was intentionally simplified to maintain recognition on various media, from favicons to large banners.

The cultural impact of the first identity

The first Discord logo became a cultural phenomenon in the gaming community. It marked the emergence of a new type of communication platform, where the main thing was not just communication, but the creation of a cozy digital space for like-minded people. The purple controller in the Discord logo ushered in a new era in online communications, when the boundaries between gaming and real-life communication began to blur. 

Discord Emblem Redesign 2021

As was noted in the official publication by representatives of Discord Inc, a redesign of the messenger logo had been coming for several years, but they decided to hold off on it. 

In the case of the Discord icon, the small but noticeable changes to the logo are dictated by a number of simple reasons. In particular, by getting rid of the white frame and “horns” at the top of the layout, the artists made it easier for themselves to create future auxiliary visual materials, including elements of the Discord interface itself, as well as all kinds of merchandise, such as badges, T-shirts, and more.  

The artists also noted that by smoothing out the logo’s sharp edges, they hoped to make it more welcoming and visually appealing. Discord’s 2021 logo redesign is a great example of how to refresh your identity without losing brand recognition. Here are the key changes:

1. Color: The new shade of blue (Blurple) has become more saturated and energetic, which makes the Discord logos more noticeable and modern. Interestingly, this shade of blue has become so popular among users that even custom keyboards and merch in the signature “blurple” color have appeared.
2. Geometry: The “Clyde” mascot (game controller/emoji) has been given cleaner lines and a simplified shape. Unnecessary details have been removed, which improves scalability. While it was designed as a controller, many users wondering what the Discord icon is supposed to be often point out that the updated Clyde looks more like a space alien.
3. Typography: The font is now more rounded and friendly, with soft edges on the letters. This makes the brand more approachable and less “gamer-y.” Discord designers spent over 3 months testing over 200 variations of the letter “d” before settling on the final version.
4. Balance: Improved the Discord logo’s ratio between icon and text— now they are in better harmony with each other. The Discord team used the golden ratio principle when determining the ideal distance between the symbol and the text.

The main achievement of the redesign is that Discord retains its gaming DNA, but has become a more visually mature and versatile brand, ready to expand beyond a purely gaming audience.

Discord Old vs New Logo: Major Changes

For the Discord logo name, the project’s authors created their own unique font. It was based on Ginto. The developers wanted to emphasize in the text on the main splash screen next to the mascot that the service remains loyal to gamers, so it reflects “playfulness”.

The main palette has changed: the developers moved away from pastel colors to more saturated shades. The main color in the new concept remains purple. In addition, the service’s design now includes a bright red shade.

The reaction to the redesign of the Discord logo among users, however, was somewhat ambiguous. Some were indifferent to all the changes, while others were disappointed with the choice of font and called on the artists to reconsider their decisions.