Discord is getting rid of the four-digit suffixes appended to usernames

Discord is taking away the four-digit tag that it puts after its usernames as it looks to make it “easier to connect” with other users. As noted in a post on Discord’s blog, this change will force most users to change their usernames, as Discord will no longer have the four-number tag that distinguishes one person with the same username from another.

Instead of having a four-number discriminator appended to your username, you will now have a unique alphanumeric username with the “@” symbol in front of it. You’ll also get to choose a non-unique display name that can include special characters, spaces, emoji, and non-Latin characters, making the platform a lot more like other mainstream social networks, such as Twitter and Instagram. It also makes it less like the gaming platform it started life as, with suffixes similar to the ones used on services like Steam, Battle.net, and Xbox.

Unfortunately, this process means everyone on Discord will need to select a new username.

According to Discord, you can update your username gradually “in the coming weeks,” and the platform will notify you when you’re able to do so. The company says it will prioritize longtime Discord users, which means the longer you’ve been on Discord, the sooner you’ll be able to choose a new name.