Gamer-focused chat platform Discord is the latest company to make job cuts.

As reported by The Verge, CEO Jason Citron (pictured) wrote in a memo to staff that the firm is laying off 17 per cent of its workforce. That amounts to 170 jobs that are on the line. The chief exec said that Discord overhired – and has increased its workforce by five times since 2020 – increased the number of projects it was working on and became inefficient as a result.

"Today, we are increasingly clear on the need to sharpen our focus and improve the way we work together to bring more agility to our organisation," Citron wrote.

"This is what largely drove the decision to reduce the size of our workforce. While difficult, I am confident this will put us in the best position to continue building a strong and profitable business that delivers amazing products for our users and supports our mission for years to come."

Discord is giving departing staff five months of pay, plus an additional week for every year they have worked at the company. Benefits will be continuing for five months and they'll have access to health insurance until the end of 2024.

Citron continued: "It’s incredibly difficult to say goodbye to respected peers, many of whom have become friends. I’m hopeful that working on and with our product has reinforced that these bonds can be sustained and even strengthened beyond the “walls” of any one place."

Discord is the latest company to make layoffs in 2024, following the likes of Twitch and Unity.