TeamSpeak, a veteran platform in the world of online communication, is experiencing a resurgence in popularity following concerns raised by users of Discord. The shift comes as Discord prepares to begin verifying the age of its users starting in March. While framed as a safety measure, many users view the initiative as a broad effort to identify each person utilizing the platform and adjust security filters accordingly.
Discord has stated that, for most adult users, a background “age estimation model” will be sufficient to determine age ranges with a high degree of accuracy. If additional confirmation is needed, users will be offered two options: facial estimation via video capture, or verification through a third-party identity document. The company promises rapid deletion of data after confirmation, and insists it will only receive age/age group information, not individual identities, and will not use message content for the model. This technology highlights the growing tension between user privacy and platform safety.
Despite Discord’s assurances, many are returning to TeamSpeak
The surge in demand has already pushed TeamSpeak’s hosting capacity to its limits in the United States, with servers operating at maximum capacity, according to a post on X. The company is responding by bringing latest servers online, specifically “Frankfurt-3” and “Toronto-1,” to accommodate both returning and new users. Similar strain is being reported in other regions, with “Amsterdam-3” nearing collapse and a new server also planned for that location. This rapid growth demonstrates a clear demand for alternative communication platforms.
TeamSpeak has not released specific user numbers, but the need to deploy additional server instances indicates a substantial influx of users. Discord, meanwhile, is defending its approach, citing a “default” security framework that would primarily affect access to restricted content or specific settings. Even though, the introduction of any verification process, even a partial one, has sparked backlash within the community.
A return to roots for a platform born in 1999
TeamSpeak originated as a personal project among online gamers in 1999, with its first public version released in 2001. The platform gained prominence throughout the 2000s, becoming essential for voice communication in popular games like Counter-Strike and World of Warcraft. It competed with Ventrilo, offering low-latency voice conversations. However, it often required users to set up and manage – or pay for – their own servers.
The platform reached its peak with TeamSpeak 3, entering beta in 2009 and achieving a stable release in 2011. Its popularity waned in 2015 with the arrival of Discord. Discord’s appeal lay in its free service, hosted servers, invitation system, and combination of TeamSpeak-style voice chat with Slack/IRC-style persistent text chat, eliminating the need to remember IP addresses or maintain infrastructure. Now, however, the tide appears to be turning.
