We have paid attention to user feedback regarding the reliability of Discord’s Game Overlay, which has been known to occasionally cause problems during gameplay. Moreover, it is only supported in a limited number of games due to compatibility challenges inherent to the current implementation.
As a result, on April 15, 2024, Discord started to roll-out a revamped Game Overlay designed to significantly enhance stability, reliability, and performance. The new Game Overlay will not interfere with your game, and is expected to be compatible with nearly all games. This is currently out to 100% of users on the Canary and PTB versions of the Discord app. There is no ETA at this time as to when this will be fully rolled out to all users on the Stable version of Discord.
After this date, you will experience the following changes in Game Overlay behavior:
- Game Overlay is now enabled by default for all games.
- Game Overlay will work in windowed fullscreen mode and windowed borderless fullscreen mode, but will not work in true fullscreen mode.
- True fullscreen mode on desktop means that other computer applications cannot be displayed over the application that’s in true fullscreen mode.
- Game Overlay will be hidden when the game window is not in focus.
- Screensharing the game window will not capture the Game Overlay, but screensharing the full screen will still capture the Game Overlay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What do I do if I always run my game in true fullscreen mode?
A: Most games support borderless fullscreen mode, so you can switch to this mode to continue getting Discord’s Game Overlay in game.
If you need to run the game in true fullscreen mode for any reason, there’s also a global Enable legacy overlay option in User Settings > Game Overlay. Please note that this option may be removed in the future.
Q: Can I keep using the legacy Game Overlay?
A: You can continue using it as long as the option exists in the app, but our goal is to eventually move everyone over to the revamped Game Overlay so they can enjoy a more stable and performant experience.
Q: What if the game I play only works with the legacy Game Overlay?
A: Please first check that you are running borderless fullscreen mode, or sometimes called “windowed” fullscreen mode. The revamped Game Overlay should work in this mode.
If you still experience issues with it, please reach out to our Support team for further assistance.