Duolingo Acquires Team Behind Music Video Game ‘Beatstar’

Mobile learning platform Duolingo is doubling down on its investment in music education by acquiring the team behind NextBeat, a London-based gaming startup known for blending world-class music licensing with engaging mobile gameplay.

The details:

• The acquisition brings 23 of NextBeat’s team to Duolingo, working across areas such as game design, user retention and monetization, sound design, and music licensing.

• Their expertise will power the next chapter of Duolingo’s gamified learning experiences, with a focus on building upon Duolingo’s music course.

Back beat:

• NextBeat is a music gaming startup founded by Simon Hade, Olly Barnes and Joe Adams.

• It’s had success with hit games Beatstar and Country Star, which have reached more than 100 million downloads and generated nearly $200 million in revenue.

• As per Music Business Worldwide, some NextBeat employees will stay at the company to operate Beatstar and Country Star, which pay out significant royalties to music rightsholders annually.

What they said:

• Simon Hade, CEO of NextBeat: “From day one, it was clear that Duolingo and NextBeat share the same values: putting learners first, obsessing over great design, and never taking ourselves too seriously. Joining forces means we can bring our passion for music and play to a platform that is redefining how people learn.”