Duo Invades The Metaverse • A Multi-Platform Event to Engage New Communities

As one of the most popular language learning apps in the world, Duolingo is known for its bite-sized lessons, game-like elements and community features. With humorous exercises that drill users on new phrases, the app has earned a reputation for being the “memeable” brand of the moment—its cheerful identity embodied by Duo, the beloved bird mascot. But while Duolingo had introduced millions to new languages, another emerged for them to master: the metaverse’s. Realizing that this space was a perfect match for Duolingo’s playful nature, we partnered with the brand to take over two of the hottest metaverse platforms, Roblox and Decentraland, and connected with people where the spirit of play reigns supreme.

In celebration of Duo’s 10th birthday, we dropped a free asset pack on Roblox and invited all developers to join the Game Jam, a seven-day, non-competitive event where everyone got the chance to submit their own Duolingo-inspired games. Leveraging the community-oriented aspect of the platform, we gave Duo’s meme fame a cheeky twist with an event where the audience had the power to create—and the desire to share. To do so, we ensured all developers were rewarded with prominent placement on Duolingo’s Roblox hub. Meanwhile, those who played the games were rewarded with coin multipliers, which they could redeem to purchase a custom-made, one-of-a-kind Duolingo avatar.

While the Roblox community was building games, we were busy building a two-story statue of Duo in Decentraland’s Terra Zero, a space frequented by passers-by on their way to visit the golf course and other popular attractions. A play on his pushy nature, the icon was placed at the edge of the leisurely Golf Craft so that Duo could remind unsuspecting visitors to complete their daily streak of language lessons. 

With Duo now roaming the metaverse to persistently remind people there to improve their language skills, it’s no longer a hiding spot for procrastinators. Proving how fun and games can go a long way in building relationships, this metaverse takeover left an indelible mark on the minds of visitors—who will never skip their lessons again.