Duolingo Launches Chess Course for Japanese Speakers, Expanding Learning Horizons

Duolingo Introduces Chess Course for Japanese Speakers

Duolingo, Inc., headquartered in Pittsburgh, USA, has recently launched a new chess course aimed at Japanese speakers on its educational app, Duolingo (available for iOS). This course follows the earlier releases of music and mathematics in 2023. By transforming the study of one of the world's oldest games—chess—into engaging bite-sized lessons, Duolingo continues to evolve beyond language learning into a comprehensive educational platform.

The long-awaited chess course is finally accessible to Japanese speakers, further expanding its user base of millions of daily learners around the globe. Launched initially in June 2025 for specific markets in the iOS version, the course utilizes a puzzle format that makes learning enjoyable. Designed to be beginner-friendly, users will find instruction from a witty chess instructor character, Oscar, who guides them through strategic gameplay.

During the annual event Duocon held on September 16 (US time), Duolingo announced several exciting upcoming features aimed at enhancing the chess course experience.

Android Version and Multilingual Support

The chess course’s transition to Android is also on the horizon. It will soon be available in user interface languages such as English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese, opening up opportunities for a wider audience.

Player vs. Player Mode

Another highly anticipated feature, Player vs. Player (PvP) mode, will soon be introduced on the iOS platform, enabling learners to challenge each other in real-time. This feature is also expected to be rolled out for Android users subsequently, fostering a competitive learning environment.

Linking Learning Outcomes to Careers

At Duocon 2025, Duolingo unveiled a new feature that connects the Duolingo Score directly to LinkedIn profiles. This integration allows users to visualize their language skills in real time and leverage them within one of the world’s largest professional networks, thereby opening new career possibilities. This initiative represents the first product step toward establishing the Duolingo Score as a global standard for measuring language proficiency, linking education to career advancement.

Comments from CEO Luis von Ahn

“Our mission has always been to provide the best education to everyone. With this update, we are a step closer to realizing that goal. Whether it’s adding the Duolingo Score to LinkedIn profiles or battling real opponents in chess with Oscar’s guidance, we are making education not only useful and trustworthy, but also genuinely enjoyable.”

Duolingo remains committed to providing exciting learning experiences across various subjects, including language, music, mathematics, and now chess. Through these initiatives, the platform aims to broaden the horizons for learners around the world.

About Duolingo

With a mission to develop the best education accessible to all, Duolingo provides the mobile learning platform and the Duolingo English Test. It has become the most popular mobile learning application globally, leading in the education category's downloads. By incorporating fun, short lessons, users can learn languages, mathematics, music, and chess through the platform, which offers over 250 courses, including English, Spanish, French, German, and Korean.

The Duolingo English Test is a reliable assessment tool for proving English language proficiency, especially needed for international university admissions. It can be taken without geographic or economic constraints and is recognized by over 6,000 educational institutions worldwide.