PlayMagnus
Play Magnus AS is a Norwegian mobile-app developer that publishes a portfolio of chess learning, training, play, and puzzle apps (Magnus Academy, Magnus Trainer, Play Magnus, Tactics Frenzy, Knight Runner) under license with World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen, monetizing via freemium D2C in-app purchases, memberships, advertising, and sponsored contests.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersOslo, Norway
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What PlayMagnus does
Play Magnus AS is a Norwegian private limited company headquartered in Oslo that develops and distributes mobile chess applications under a licensing and endorsement arrangement with World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen. The company operates a portfolio of iOS and Android apps — Magnus Academy, Magnus Trainer, Play Magnus, Tactics Frenzy, and Knight Runner — covering structured learning, adaptive training, grandmaster-style play, puzzle-solving, and puzzle-adventure gameplay. The apps are distributed globally via the Apple App Store and Google Play and supported by a website (playmagnus.com) for account creation and membership purchases.
The business operates on a freemium direct-to-consumer model: apps are free to download, with monetization through in-app virtual goods purchases, recurring website/app memberships, in-app and third-party advertising (excluding Magnus Trainer), and sponsored in-app contests and live events (e.g., the Play Live Challenge). Customer segments span casual and serious chess players, children and young learners (with special under-13 privacy provisions), and contest/event participants. Distribution is anchored in mobile app marketplace listings, with email/e-marketing, social/paid acquisition (Facebook), and engagement-driven contest mechanics as supporting channels. Data collection for advertising and analytics relies on integrations with Facebook (identity, advertising, contests) and Google Analytics.
Play Magnus AS is part of a larger holding structure, the Play Magnus Group, which has executed an aggressive vertical-integration strategy via acquisitions of Chessable (2019), New In Chess (2020), Everyman Chess (2021), and Aimchess (2021), supported by a $13.5 million funding round in March 2020. The operating entity has a small team (1-10 employees) and does not publicly disclose revenue, with the most recent governance update being a Privacy Policy refresh in October 2024.
PlayMagnus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PlayMagnus
- Legal name
- Play Magnus AS
- Website
- https://playmagnus.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Play Magnus AS is a Norwegian mobile-app developer that publishes a portfolio of chess learning, training, play, and puzzle apps (Magnus Academy, Magnus Trainer, Play Magnus, Tactics Frenzy, Knight Runner) under license with World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen, monetizing via freemium D2C in-app purchases, memberships, advertising, and sponsored contests.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PlayMagnus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Chess Training and Mobile Gaming Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sweepstakes/Free-to-Play & Social Poker Apps (MPAEAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Poker Training, Coaching & Content (Courses, Solvers, Communities) (MPAEAEAF)
Keywords
Where PlayMagnus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oslo
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
PlayMagnus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel
Revenue model
- In-app virtual goods and in-app purchases: Play Magnus licenses virtual goods (content, upgrades) for use within its apps such as Play Magnus, Magnus Trainer, and Tactics Frenzy. Virtual goods are licensed on a limited, personal, non-transferable, revocable basis, with or without a separate fee. The company manages, regulates, and may modify or eliminate virtual goods at any time.
- Membership subscriptions: Users can purchase a membership on the Play Magnus website or within the Services; processing of full name, email, postal address, credit card information, and IP address occurs to fulfill these purchases.
- In-app and third-party advertising: Play Magnus collects and processes personal data to deliver relevant in-app and third-party advertisements (excluding the Magnus Trainer app, where personal data is not used for advertising). Advertising is delivered via ad serving technology using demographic, geo-location, device, hardware, and usage data, with revenue derived from ad serving.
- Sponsored contests and special events: Play Magnus runs sponsored in-app competitions and special events (e.g., the Play Live Challenge, physical live events, Facebook contests) and processes personal data for participation, indicating sponsorship/marketing-driven monetization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free app downloads with in-app purchases and membership upgrades |
| Subscription | Monthly | Website/app membership |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Virtual goods licensing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
PlayMagnus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PlayMagnus develops and distributes a portfolio of mobile chess applications that let users learn, train, play, and solve chess puzzles under the brand of World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen and other elite grandmasters. The apps (Magnus Trainer, Play Magnus, Tactics Frenzy, Knight Runner, Magnus Academy) are offered as free downloads with optional in-app virtual goods purchases and website-based memberships, and the company additionally runs contests, leaderboards, and live events such as the Play Live Challenge.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Magnus Academy: Chess learning, training, and play application offered by Play Magnus.
- Magnus Trainer
- Tactics Frenzy
- Knight Runner
Products and services
- Magnus Trainer
Companies that use PlayMagnus
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PlayMagnus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability1 record
Feature6 records
PlayMagnus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered strategic (acquisition) and core integration.
- Aimchessstrategic (acquisition)Aimchess, a chess training and analytics startup, was acquired by Play Magnus Group per a news report dated 2021-05-18. The article reports the acquisition but does not provide specific financial or strategic details or discuss the broader impact of the acquisition.
- Facebookcore integrationFacebook is integrated with Play Magnus Services in multiple ways: (1) third-party ID login integration allowing users to access Services via Facebook, (2) Facebook is used to collect user behaviour data based on unique IDs for advertising and analytics, and (3) Play Magnus arranges Facebook contests as part of its contests and special events program.
- Google (Google Analytics)core integrationGoogle Analytics is used by Play Magnus to collect user behaviour data based on unique IDs to analyze how Services are used and to improve them. Cookies and similar technologies from Google support marketing and analytics use cases.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PlayMagnus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Shredder Chess: Long-standing chess engine and app maker offering play and training tools on mobile. Comparable as a mobile chess app with a focus on engine strength and analysis, narrower than Play Magnus' branded training portfolio.
- Lucas Chess: Free, open-source chess training software with built-in engines and tutorials. Competes in the chess training category with a free, community-driven model analogous to Lichess.
Direct peers
- Chess.com: Largest consumer chess platform globally, offering free play, training, puzzles, and tournaments on web and mobile. Directly competes with Play Magnus' apps for the same consumer chess audience and is the dominant free alternative.
- Lichess: Open-source, free chess platform with play, study, and puzzle features. Competes directly with Play Magnus in training and puzzles while operating without a paid subscription layer, putting pressure on conversion.
- Chess24: Chess play and training platform offering live broadcasts, courses, and puzzles. Competes with Play Magnus in the chess training and content space and has since been integrated with Chess.com, intensifying competitive pressure.
- Chessable: Chess learning platform using spaced-repetition courses; acquired by Play Magnus Group in 2019 but continues to operate as a learning destination. Directly comparable in chess training content and monetization.
- New In Chess: Chess magazine and book publisher acquired by Play Magnus Group in 2020. Comparable as a chess content brand; offers publishing and editorial where Play Magnus offers digital training.
- Everyman Chess: Chess book publisher acquired by Play Magnus Group in 2021. Comparable as a chess content brand targeting learners and improvers, complementary to Play Magnus' app-based training.
- Aimchess: Chess training and analytics startup acquired by Play Magnus Group in 2021. Directly comparable as a chess training/analytics product now operating within the Play Magnus ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- ChessBase: Established incumbent in chess databases, software, and training tools for serious players. Comparable in chess training/analytics domain though skewed to desktop/power-user vs. Play Magnus' mobile consumer focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PlayMagnus social profiles
Digital presencePlayMagnus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PlayMagnus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
PlayMagnus subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
PlayMagnus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PlayMagnus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PlayMagnus
What does PlayMagnus do?
PlayMagnus develops and distributes a portfolio of mobile chess applications that let users learn, train, play, and solve chess puzzles under the brand of World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen and other elite grandmasters. The apps (Magnus Trainer, Play Magnus, Tactics Frenzy, Knight Runner, Magnus Academy) are offered as free downloads with optional in-app virtual goods purchases and website-based memberships, and the company additionally runs contests, leaderboards, and live events such as the Play Live Challenge.
Is PlayMagnus a public or private company?
PlayMagnus is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was PlayMagnus founded?
PlayMagnus was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is PlayMagnus based?
PlayMagnus is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does PlayMagnus make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. In-app virtual goods and in-app purchases are the primary driver. The others are membership subscriptions, in-app and third-party advertising and sponsored contests and special events.
Who are PlayMagnus's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Shredder Chess and Lucas Chess. Direct peers are Chess.com, Lichess, Chess24, Chessable, New In Chess, Everyman Chess and Aimchess. ChessBase is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does PlayMagnus have an API?
No public API is recorded for PlayMagnus.
What industry is PlayMagnus in?
PlayMagnus's product category is Chess Training and Mobile Gaming Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAEAEAD, Sweepstakes/Free-to-Play & Social Poker Apps, with a secondary code of MPAEAEAF, Poker Training, Coaching & Content (Courses, Solvers, Communities). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.