Discord, a messaging app for video gamers, raised $50 million from existing investors including Tencent, and is now valued at $1.7 billion.

Total funds raised by the company now stand at $129 million and, in this round, existing investors Benchmark Capital, Greylock Partners and Spark Capital also participated.

Launched in 2015, the app hit 90 million users in January 2018, an increase of more than 50 per cent year-on-year: its popularity was boosted by hit multiplayer games including League of Legends and Fortnite.

While games often offer their own communications channel, many gamers prefer third-party services such as Discord, Teamspeak and Skype.

Features including direct game integration, server verification and built-in Spotify sets Discord apart from its rivals.