Duolingo is stepping up its music game. The popular learning app has acquired the team from NextBeat, a London-based studio behind the mobile rhythm hits Beatstar and Country Star.
This isn’t just about adding more music content. The 23-person team joining Duolingo brings deep skills in game design, music licensing, and sound design, exactly what’s needed to transform educational content into something truly delightful.
As Duolingo’s Chief Business Officer Bob Meese put it, this is “This is a strategic bet on talent,” aimed at making learning feel like play. “Learning should be just as engaging as playing a great game, whether you’re practicing a new language or playing a favourite song,” he adds.
In a chat with PocketGamer.biz, NextBeat CEO Simon Hade said they were planning to raise more money, but realised it was hard to grow alone in today’s market. “Having that as a platform to launch these features just ended up making a lot more sense to us than going alone,” she shared.
Joining Duolingo gave them a better way to reach more people. With Duolingo’s 47.7 million daily users, the team can now focus fully on making fun and creative features without worrying about ads or payments.
NextBeat was spun out of Space Ape Games earlier this year and is known for its hit rhythm games. Though the value of the deal hasn’t been revealed, it marks a major step for Duolingo in blending education with fun gameplay.
