The release of the most anticipated Game of Thrones spin-off is fast approaching. Set approximately 200 years before the events of the flagship seriesHouse of the Dragon will depict the story of the fall of House Taygaryan and the chronicles leading up to the Targaryan Civil War, also known as the Dance of the Dragons.
With less than a few days of its release, HBO is participating in a number of promotional activities to create buzz around the subject. One such venture is HBO’s recent partnership with Duolingo, the world’s leading language learning platform. Just today, Duolingo announced its official partnership with HBO Max for the HBO Original show House of the Dragon.
Duolingo and the Valyrian Course
The Game of Thrones prequel will be released on HBO Max on August 21, 2022. And to help fans of the epic fantasy show prepare for the grandness, Duolingo is launching an updated course on High Valyrian, the fictional language which is spoken in the show. Previously, the app worked rigorously with linguist David Peterson, who developed Dothraki and High Valyrian based on George RR Martin’s books for the show. And now, with its help, Duolingo has made several additions, including over 150 new words and over 700 new phrases.
To quote Peterson,
“I’m thrilled that new and old fans of the ‘Game of Thrones’ series are discovering the language of High Valyrian. It was a pleasure to revisit the world of Westeros for ‘House of the Dragon’ and to work with the team of Duolingo to breathe new life into this journey.
Game of Thrones’ Valyrian Steel Challenge
However, changing course is not everything. To commemorate the epic premiere of Game of Thrones’ most anticipated prequel, Duolingo has upped the fun and excitement stakes by adding a competitive new idea to the mix. Duolingo offers a High Valyrian learner the ultimate GoT collectible: a life-size Valyrian steel sword. Keep scrolling to see the sword known as the Streak Keeper.
Basically, Duolingo has teamed up with HBO Max to launch a contest that will challenge all Game of Thrones fans to learn the language of dragons. According to the contest, the best learner who completes the High Valyrian course with the most XP (Duolingo experience points) will win a Valyrian steel sword. The winner will receive a real steel sword designed by Duolingo (ARV $25,000), the first Valyrian steel sword to be forged since the Doom of Valyria.
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The challenge will begin on 8/21/2022 at 12:00 a.m. PT and end on 10/23/2022 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Challenge participants must be over 18 and live in the United States. Additionally, they must have completed the High Valyrian course on Duolingo to have a chance of winning.
For those who are interested and ready to take on the Valyrian Steel Challenge, here is the link to register directly with Duolingo
HBO is promoting House of the Dragon
Moving on to other marketing strategies, HBO Max worked with Duoling on an integrated campaign that teases new phrases on crypto billboards in major cities across the country. This also includes an extremely stunning space in New York’s Times Square. on the other hand, Duolingo’s mascot, Duo the Owl, will make his own ascent of the Iron Throne.
Duolingo’s lovable mascot will make an appearance during HBO Max’s immersive fan experience “House of the Dragon: The Dragon’s Den” at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2022. Duo the Owl’s responsibility will be to remind the audience to complete their lessons. The experience is bound to be immersive with life-size push notifications and panels with dragon controls atop Valyrian will be used in the campaign.
To further expand this partnership, Duolingo has announced gift bags for Game of Thrones fans. The bags will come with “Wing of the King” pins to commemorate the updated run of HBO’s “House of the Dragon.”
“At Duolingo, we know that content drives interest in language. Our data shows a direct correlation between user growth and what’s happening in the cultural zeitgeist, from K-Pop to Eurovision. , to various international shows and movies,” said George Audi, Head of Business Development.
“We’ve addressed this by partnering with HBO Max to build excitement for one of the most anticipated shows of the year. This unique partnership around learning High Valyrian will empower fans around the world to see how much fun learning a new language can be while connecting more closely with the world of Westeros.
So fantasy fans, what are you waiting for? Sign up for the course and have a chance to win a Valyrian steel sword. Meanwhile, HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon is just days away from its big premiere.
