Duolingo Doubles Down on Design and Animation Efforts with Hobbes Acquisition

Detroit-based studio brings world-class motion design capabilities to Duolingo

PITTSBURGH, July 9, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Duolingo, Inc. (Nasdaq: DUOL), the world’s leading mobile learning platform, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Hobbes, a Detroit-based animation and motion design studio. This is Duolingo’s second acquisition, following the successful acquisition of Gunner in 2022, another Detroit-based motion design and animation studio that is affiliated with Hobbes. Duolingo leverages animation and motion design to enhance game mechanics and make its products more fun and engaging. This acquisition marks the beginning of a dedicated motion design team within Duolingo’s design department.

“Design is a key part of Duolingo’s success, especially our use of character illustration and animation, which has really accelerated since Gunner joined our team. Now we’ll be able to accelerate our use of motion design by adding Hobbes’ unique talents to our design team,” said Ryan Sims, Chief Design Officer, Duolingo. “We’re investing in the belief that a more animated product experience is more enjoyable and fun, and leads to better learning outcomes.”

The acquisition of Hobbes will add twelve new world-class motion designers, animators, creative strategists, creative directors and producers to Duolingo’s existing design teams and nearly double the size of Duolingo’s Detroit office. Hobbes is already a motion design partner for Duolingo, supporting the development of key capabilities for Duolingo Music, product architecture, motion design systems and more.

“We strive to put animators in the driver’s seat of product design, and Duolingo’s expertise and commitment to art, design, and continuous improvement aligns perfectly with our mission,” said Eddy Nieto, Partner and Chief Creative Officer at Hobbes. “This is a huge win for everyone on our team, and we’re excited to grow our community of top talent here in Detroit,” added Nevin McRay, Managing Partner at Hobbes.

About Duolingo
Duolingo is the world’s leading mobile learning platform. Its flagship app has organically become the world’s most popular language learning experience and the top-grossing Education app on both Google Play and the Apple App Store. With technology at the heart of everything it does, Duolingo has consistently invested in providing students with fun, engaging, and impactful learning experiences while remaining committed to its mission of developing the best education in the world and making it universally accessible.

About Hobbes
Hobbes is a motion design studio focused on creative solutions in product design and emerging technologies. Their team specializes in elevating user experiences through functionality and enjoyment. Clients include forward-thinking product teams at Google, YouTube, Ford, Zapier, and Duolingo.

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