Member-only story
The good, the bad and the ugly of Duolingo gamification
Ten design principles rated from best to worst.
With over 100 million active monthly users, Duolingo is by far the most popular learning app worldwide. Its heavy reliance on gamification — the practice of applying game design elements and principles to other activities — often raises ethical concerns, as many argue that the daily learning habits it promotes are more akin to addiction.
Where to draw the line between persuasion and manipulation, and whether Duolingo’s means justify its ends, remains a matter of personal opinion. Here’s my review of the ten game design patterns used by Duolingo, rated from best to worst:
1. Clear progression
I wrote about the disastrous launch of the Duolingo Path UI two years ago, and it’s been great to see the app ship continuous improvements to this model. If you strip away all the extra features, at its core Duolingo is a linear puzzle game where the user progresses by successfully completing increasingly challenging tasks.
The updated timeline includes grammar exercises, translation tasks, stories, interactive podcasts, and even AI-powered roleplay challenges (a premium feature). It effectively uses layered data density and progressive disclosure, making learning feel effortless and exhilarating.
2. Quirky characters
In addition to their famous green owl mascot, in 2020, Duolingo introduced a cast of nine characters that accompany learners on their journey.
In a blog post that followed their launch, Greg Hartman, Head of Art at Duolingo talks about drawing inspiration from video games and developing a deep connection with their characters:
When I was a kid, I used to play a lot of Nintendo 64 — in particular The Legend of Zelda. Even after I beat the game, I would continue to spend many hours wandering around the open-world making up my own stories and adventures. I loved the characters of Zelda so much that I wanted to spend as much time in that world as possible.
Duolingo characters achieve this goal beautifully: they are quirky, memorable, and fun to “hang out with”. My friends and I often mess around…
