Yeah I would agree that for casual conversation Discord overtook for me. I was lurking r/warframe and after losing pc capable running game started gacha and discussed on r/Arknights. So with api fiasco I left Reddit and tried Mastodon... have account and check it out but there is no activity on #arknights , joined discord server for R/Arknights that was made during blackout and still going strong. Like I got better of R/Arknights and not on Reddit. People some use Reddit, some silently, some like me abandoned and even people who never used Reddit joined. Moderating m/Arknights on Kbin but with Kbin dev having unlucky strike and generally hopping he have health to both have normalcy and work on Kbin. So without proper mod tools and some broken features (like webp not displaying, where microblogs from Misskey converts to webp to consolidate space) and some other little wants that I would propose if I knew there would be implemented.

Using Misskey.io before it closed registration to Japanese only (happens when everyone was leaving twitter for Musk dumb thing he implemented). With Misskey at least found artists and players for Arknights but as it is Japanese instance, they only thing I can do is share art so #arknights tag weren't dead on Mastodon.social .

So TL DR left Reddit, joined sub Reddit discord server which is where I spend most of my leisure time, using Mastodon for news, Kbin for moderation (but no one visits, at least no spam as I clean up) and news , Misskey for fan art.

Misskey is microblog compared to Lemmy or Kbin , but still it's fun to use albeit more demanding on resources. While Kbin/Lemmy see karma as numbers, Mastodon (main branch) as likes, Misskey have emoji's so you can convey your feelings without making short replies.
Sure some people will say that's dumb or useless, but hey when you see some art and having only ❤️ instead of 🆒 or :cool__i: or :otoge_rank_aaa: and so on.
There is many other neat features but the main point of this comment is.
You can join in on conversation without restricting yourself to limitations imposed by soft/server one use.
Add on top that you can self host which is not for everyone but people having their whole identity tied to their own space instead of Twitter/Youtube/Twitch etc.

~~Which would be true if Misskey wouldn't send error and deny me sending message, so we still far off in that point.~~

I wanted to try free tier, but amount of time spending to wait in line to play a game was too much.add in that it was laggy and you can't just leave and come back. Now they will get free ad space for people who didn't even try service yet due... Amount of wait time in line. But speaking as someone who is redirected to Russian servers by default (too small country to have local server of course). Wonder how free tier experience for others in "good" countries.

https://phpc.social/@stevegrunwell/112005152887711510
Think you should mention that self hosting is okay but you have to pay attention to plugins you use.

Everyone gives solid advice, so I will point you to trusty https://fedidb.org/software .
Mostly to see stats of Fediverse but also the soft that is available. Maybe you find one that suit you.

I saw many artists going to Misskey.io because it's main instance even English speaking ones until they gone back to twitter, stayed on Misskey or half measures. Then because of EN influx in mainly Japanese server , Misskey.io closed doors to non-Japanese add in fact that Misskey or rather any federated service can't oblige to European Union protection standard which means they can't operate in EU officially.
So I see lots of messages on Misskey about artists making blue sky accounts as well... All depends where they get more views I guess or have people supporting them around.

@THE_ANON https://fedidb.org/software
My go to recommendation for fediverse services.
There are a lot more than you think.

@muhyb
My go to advice on looking what services are on activityPub/Fediverse is https://fedidb.org/ .

I don't use Kbin for microbloging. Had started at Mastodon.social>Kbin>Misskey.io .
Switched from posting from Mastodon to Misskey as more people I would enjoy content or would watch my content (well being En speaking on JP server has it -) but I play Arknights and do silly challenge clear that I enjoy, so posting it there with # that will pickup our kbin magazine. Most of art is on Misskey.io as it is on the rumours for many was, but they limited it to Japanese with ever new server being English one.
So use Kbin Microblog to see anything interesting show up on magazine or just in general. Mastodon for "war" news and reports while Misskey for fan art.

@ZILtoid1991 Source can also be found on Misskey.io
@IndigO_Ailurus @misskey.io https://misskey.io/notes/9n2mczxh8qfg0cqu

"LOOK AT THEM, THEY COME TO THIS PLACE WHEN THEY KNOW THEY ARE NOT PURE. TENNO USE THE KEYS, BUT THEY ARE MERE TRESPASSERS. ONLY I, VOR, KNOW THE TRUE POWER OF THE VOID. I WAS CUT IN HALF, DESTROYED, BUT THROUGH IT'S JANUS KEY, THE VOID CALLED TO ME. IT BROUGHT ME HERE AND HERE I WAS REBORN. WE CANNOT BLAME THESE CREATURES, THEY ARE BEING LED BY A FALSE PROPHET, AN IMPOSTOR WHO KNOWS NOT THE SECRETS OF THE VOID. BEHOLD THE TENNO, COME TO SCAVENGE AND DESECRATE THIS SACRED REALM. MY BROTHERS, DID I NOT TELL OF THIS DAY? DID I NOT PROPHESIZE THIS MOMENT? NOW, I WILL STOP THEM. NOW I AM CHANGED, REBORN THROUGH THE ENERGY OF THE JANUS KEY. FOREVER BOUND TO THE VOID. LET IT BE KNOWN, IF THE TENNO WANT TRUE SALVATION, THEY WILL LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS, AND WAIT FOR THE BAPTISM OF MY JANUS KEY. IT IS TIME. I WILL TEACH THESE TRESPASSERS THE REDEMPTIVE POWER OF MY JANUS KEY. THEY WILL LEARN IT'S SIMPLE TRUTH. THE TENNO ARE LOST, AND THEY WILL RESIST. BUT I, VOR, WILL CLEANSE THIS PLACE OF THEIR IMPURITY."

@willya
Huh, sorry I misclicked and posted reply while lurking. Fat fingers on mobile.