Bluesky launches group chats, as company shifts focus to community features

Bluesky introduced group chats in the latest app update, signaling a shift toward community-focused features. The update, version 1.124, arrives as Bluesky's growth slows to about 44.8 million registered users versus X's 600 million monthly active users. Group chats support up to 50 participants, with creators able to invite others via shareable links and control who can invite them. The feature aligns with Bluesky's vision of smaller, more intimate communities within the wider network, a departure from broad public posts. Group chats currently do not support media sharing, and encryption is provided through Germ integration. Bluesky's head of product, Alex Benzer, described the shift as building a more collaborative ecosystem on the AT Proto protocol with developer support. The rollout follows X's April decision to retire its Communities feature amid low usage. With roughly 44.8 million registered users versus X's 600 million MAU, Bluesky aims to capture users seeking tighter social spaces. The company says it will continue expanding community tools and may increase group-chat capacity in future updates.