Former X Product Lead Claims Bluesky Users Returning 'in Droves' as Engagement Data Shows Platform Decline

Nikita Bier, who led product development at X until stepping back to an advisory role in August 2026, posted on October 10, 2026, that 'anti-tech Bluesky users' have been 'coming back to X in droves the last few weeks,' describing them as angry upon realizing broader economic gains during their time on the platform. The post gained significant traction on X, with amplification from accounts like Polymarket and a reply of 'True' from Elon Musk to a related ZeroHedge article.

While direct verification of mass returns remains anecdotal, it aligns with independent data on Bluesky's user trends. Similarweb data reported by TechCrunch in August 2026 showed Bluesky's mobile monthly active users falling 27.2% year-over-year to 10.4 million in June 2026, with daily active users down 25.6% to around 3 million in July—representing a roughly 52% drop from late-2024 peaks following the post-election exodus from X. X's own mobile metrics remained far larger and more stable, with only modest declines.

Bluesky experienced surges in 2024-2025 as users sought alternatives to X, reaching over 40 million accounts by early 2026, but retention has proven challenging amid perceptions of it becoming an echo chamber. Broader context includes X's continued dominance in real-time news and conversation, with no major new exodus waves documented in October 2026 beyond the claimed reverse migration. Bier's observation echoes ongoing debates about platform polarization and user fatigue with niche 'safe spaces.'