Reddit is killing its Gold awards system

After triggering protests over its API changes, Reddit is making another change that is angering its users, as the company announced that it’s sunsetting its coins and awards system. Although the platform says it’s working on a new rewards system, it hasn’t provided any details about when it could launch. In the past, users have been able to purchase Reddit Coins and spend them on awards for others.

Reddit says users will no longer be able to purchase new coins starting today. All awards and existing coins will continue to be available until September 12, 2023.

In a blog post, Reddit said it’s making this change in order to make its platform simpler. The company says it has heard that users don’t appreciate the “clutter from awards and all the steps that go into actually awarding content.” As a result, it’s working to overhaul how rewards work on its platform, but didn’t provide specifics about what the new system could look like.

“It’s become clear that awards and coins as they exist today need to be re-thought, and the existing system sunsetted,” the company wrote. “Rewarding content and contribution (as well as something golden) will still be a core part of Reddit. We’ll share more in the coming months as to what this new future looks like.”

For context, the Reddit community would use coins and awards in different ways to recognize good contributions from other members. You could see awards as little icons on posts on the platform. Reddit first introduced Reddit Gold, which then evolved, as Reddit introduced new awards including Reddit Silver, Platinum, Ternium and Argentium. There are currently more than 50 types of awards on the platform.

Reddit says it will share more about a “new direction for awarding that allows redditors to empower one another and create more meaningful ways to reward high-quality contributions on Reddit” in the coming months. The goal behind the overhaul is to create a system that is simple, easy to use and easy to understand, the company says.

The company’s decision to sunset its current rewards system before launching the revamped one has left users upset, as it leaves the platform without a rewards system in place.

“Killing features without replacements ready, yep sounds like Reddit to me,” one user wrote under the company’s announcement post. “In other words, you’re removing a popular feature and charging the same amount for premium,” another user wrote.

Reddit’s latest announcement comes as it has been facing ongoing backlash for its decision to start charging developers for access to its API. The change sparked protests from multiple subreddits and moderators. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has continuously defended the company’s decision over the past month. Reddit seems to be adamant about its decision, and new changes to the API pricing structure seem unlikely.