Classic Chat Program Sees a Major Surge in Users Following Discord Changes
TeamSpeak is making a comeback amid Discord‘s recent changes. While the older voice chat program might be less-known to some gamers, it could serve as a good alternative to those who are upset with Discord’s recent decisions.
Many Discord users have expressed discontent with the platform following the reveal that users would be required to submit age verification to keep using the program without any limits. Without submitting proof of one’s age, Discord users will be switched to a teen account, which will be restricted from viewing certain types of content, including some server-specific channels.
Steam Reportedly Asks User of 19 Years to Verify if They Are 18
In an amusing incident, Steam prompts a longtime user of 19 years to prove that they are over 18, following the enactment of a certain law.
As Discord Users Say Goodbye, TeamSpeak Says Hello
With the reveal that these changes would be arriving in March, some Discord users have been looking for alternative options, and it seems that many have settled on TeamSpeak. The chat service noted that it’s seen a huge spike in new users joining the service and subscribing to communities, resulting in hosting capacity reaching its limit in some regions, including the US. As a result, TeamSpeak has asked for patience while the team expands availability and works to meet demand. The timing indicates that it’s likely due to disgruntled Discord users trying out different voice chat services.
Drag weapons to fill the grid
Drag weapons to fill the grid
EasyMediumHard
For the unfamiliar, TeamSpeak is a voice over IP program that lets users voice chat over a channel, like one would in a group chat or group call in Discord. The service was introduced way back in late 2001, preceding Discord by nearly 14 years, with Discord arriving in 2015. The platform has undergone a lot of changes in that time, and now has a much more user-friendly UI, plus features like screen sharing and text chat. TeamSpeak emphasizes its use of military-grade AES-based encryption and that everything is done with the user’s privacy in mind, and claims it has no access to a user’s voice or text chat. These elements may be particularly appealing to those who feel that they would have to sacrifice some of their privacy to verify their identity on Discord.
Age Verification is Becoming More Common, But It’s Not Popular
Due to a combination of game and internet companies wanting to keep their userbase safe and new government policies in some parts of the world forcing changes, the requirement to verify one’s age to use online services is becoming more common. Aside from Discord, Roblox has implemented age verification, which has frustrated some players as they’ve faced having to share their identity by way of uploading their ID or recording a selfie video. Even then, those users sometimes have to cope with saying goodbye to people they used to chat with, as some age groups are now separated and can’t readily communicate with one another.
While perhaps still too invasive for some, other services have introduced age checks that are a little less demanding. Steam started requiring proof of age from UK users to view certain mature-rated games in its storefront. However, all they need to do is add a valid credit card that matches their name and address, which is likely something most UK Steam users have done anyway. Call of Duty also surprised players when it revealed that it would utilize a form of age verification of its own, but so far, it’s only amounted to requiring players to enter their date of birth.
Some gamers have never left TeamSpeak, with the service having even been the official voice supplier for the Overwatch League. In the time since TeamSpeak launched, other chat services have come and gone, including in 2025 with the shutdown of Skype. After a quarter of a century, TeamSpeak is still going, and may now be experiencing a second renaissance with this influx of new users.