If I recall correctly, yes, but it was like, enter your email and username BAM now you have an account.

It's not quite so easy anymore, partly because when you reach a certain size, it's all about controlling bots and whatnot.

Agreed. You now have to verify your phone number to have access to many guilds.

Yeah, didn't even verify emails. I got a surprise discord account back in 2015 because someone else used my email. I guess this xkcd[1] applies to younger people too.

1: https://xkcd.com/1279/

I’ll never cease to be amazed that there’s an XKCD for literally everything.

I bet there’s even one related to using the word literally as hyperbole…