By Dexerto | Created at 2026-09-28 11:32:27 | Updated at 2026-09-28 16:30:57
5 hours ago
Discord is reportedly working on a new Game Mode designed to reduce how many PC resources the app uses while you’re playing.
The upcoming feature was spotted by Discord Previews on X, which shared a screenshot of a new toggle currently being developed for the desktop app.
Once enabled, Game Mode will automatically detect when a game is running and cut back on some of Discord’s visual features. This includes reducing animations and disabling effects that would otherwise use CPU and GPU resources.
The setting itself is labelled “Enable Game Mode,” with Discord’s description reading: “Reduce Discord’s CPU and GPU usage while a game is running.”
Discord’s new Game Mode would reduce CPU and GPU usage
This should leave more of your PC’s resources available for the game you’re playing rather than having Discord consume them in the background.
That’s potentially useful for anyone running games on older or lower-end hardware, where having multiple applications open can put additional strain on your rig. It could also make Discord a little less demanding without requiring players to manually switch off individual features before launching a game.
Discord is working on Game Mode. Once activated, Discord's client will automatically reduce animations and disable effects when it detects a game being played, freeing up CPU and GPU resources that might help your game run smoother. pic.twitter.com/Ul9v9qQqnx
— Discord Previews (@DiscordPreviews) September 26, 2026
However, it’s important to note that Game Mode hasn’t been officially announced for a full release yet.
Discord Previews tracks upcoming and experimental Discord features, and its post only says the company is “working on” the setting. There’s currently no confirmed release date or indication of whether or when it might become available to regular users.
It’s also unclear exactly which animations and effects will be disabled, or how significant the reduction in CPU and GPU usage will be in practice.
Still, the feature could be a useful quality-of-life change. Rather than sacrificing Discord’s full visual experience permanently, users could leave Game Mode switched on and have the client automatically scale itself back whenever it detects that they’re playing something.
For now, though, we’ll have to wait for Discord to reveal more about the feature and whether it eventually makes its way into the public version of the app.
This comes just after Discord announced a number of long-requested changes, including the ability to pin DMs. It is also testing another feature that turns group chats into a virtual living room.
