What Does Play Magnus AS Do?

Total employees300
HeadquartersLysaker
Founded2013

Play Magnus AS was a global leader in the chess industry, focused on providing innovative digital experiences and learning tools for chess enthusiasts of all levels. Founded in 2013 by World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen and his associates, the company developed and acquired a suite of popular brands including Chessable, chess24, Champions Chess Tour, Play Magnus app suite, GingerGM, iChess, and New In Chess. Their mission was to make chess more accessible and enjoyable worldwide. In December 2022, Play Magnus Group was acquired by Chess.com, integrating its platforms and communities into the Chess.com ecosystem to further grow the game of chess globally.

Where Is Play Magnus AS's Headquarters?

HQ Function

Served as the central hub for strategic decisions, product development management, and corporate operations for the Play Magnus Group and its various chess brands prior to its acquisition by Chess.com.

Notable Features:

Modern office facilities located in a prominent business park, designed to foster collaboration and innovation. Specific architectural details are not widely publicized.

Work Culture:

Dynamic, passionate, and driven by a love for chess and technology. Emphasized innovation, continuous learning, and a global mindset, reflecting its diverse product portfolio and international community. Post-acquisition, employees became part of Chess.com's culture.

HQ Significance:

The Oslo-area HQ was significant as the birthplace and central command for a rapidly growing global chess technology company, leveraging Scandinavian tech talent and its direct connection to World Champion Magnus Carlsen.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters aimed to reflect values of innovation, excellence, global reach, and a commitment to the chess community, providing a conducive environment for developing cutting-edge chess platforms and experiences.

Location:

Historically, Play Magnus AS supported a global user base through its diverse portfolio of chess platforms: Chessable (interactive learning), chess24 (news, live play, tournament broadcasts), the Play Magnus app suite (training tools), and the Champions Chess Tour (elite online chess events). These functions and brands are now integrated into Chess.com, which itself has an expansive global presence. The combined entity supports tens of millions of chess players worldwide with localized content, customer support, and community features across numerous languages and regions. This includes online play, extensive learning resources, comprehensive news coverage, and broadcasting of major international chess tournaments.

Street Address:

Lysaker Torg 35

City:

Lysaker

State/Province:

Akershus

Country:

Norway

Where Else Does Play Magnus AS Operate Around the World?

Hamburg, Germany

Address: Specific street address not widely publicized. Operations centered in Hamburg.

Served the European market, particularly German-speaking countries, and managed a significant part of the chess24 platform's technical and editorial aspects.

London, United Kingdom

Address: Specific street address not widely publicized. Operations centered in London.

Central to Chessable's global operations, particularly strong in the English-speaking market and for coordinating with a worldwide network of chess authors and educators.

Riga, Latvia

Address: Specific street address not widely publicized. Operations centered in Riga.

Leveraged tech talent and operational efficiencies in the Baltics to support the group's expanding digital footprint and service offerings.

Buying Intent Signals for Play Magnus AS

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading Play Magnus AS? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, Play Magnus AS' leadership includes:

Magnus Carlsen - Co-Founder (Remains an ambassador for Chess.com and active top player)
Andreas Thome - Former CEO, Play Magnus Group
Arkus Fredriksson - Former Chief Strategy Officer, Play Magnus Group (Now Chief Strategy Officer at Chess.com)
Sebastian J. Kuhnert - Former Chief Business Development Officer, Play Magnus Group & CEO of Chessable (Role evolved within Chess.com structure)
Geert van der Velde - Former Chief Content Officer, Play Magnus Group & Head of Chessable (Continues influential role in Chessable content within Chess.com)

Who's Investing in Play Magnus AS?

Play Magnus AS has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Primary Investor/Acquirer: Chess.com (Acquired Play Magnus AS in December 2022)
Prior to acquisition, Play Magnus AS was a publicly traded company on Euronext Growth Oslo (Ticker: PMG).
Notable pre-IPO and institutional investors included: Luxor Capital Group, DNB Asset Management, TIN Fonder, sympatheia AS (Morten Klein), and Knut Harald Holmen.

What Leadership Changes Has Play Magnus AS Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

Following the acquisition by Chess.com in December 2022, the primary executive changes involved the integration of Play Magnus Group's leadership into Chess.com's structure or planned departures. Key figures from Play Magnus brands like Chessable and chess24 have largely continued in significant roles within the merged entity. The 'last 12 months' (mid-2023 to mid-2024) primarily reflect stabilization and strategic roles within Chess.com rather than distinct hires/exits for an independent 'Play Magnus AS'.

Departures

Andreas Thome, Andreas Thome stepped down as CEO of Play Magnus Group upon its acquisition by Chess.com, concluding his leadership of the independent company.

New Appointments:

Arkus Fredriksson, Arkus Fredriksson was appointed Chief Strategy Officer at Chess.com, bringing his strategic expertise from Play Magnus Group to the combined organization post-acquisition.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byPlay Magnus AS?

Discover the tools Play Magnus AS uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Play Magnus AS Email Formats and Examples

Prior to its acquisition by Chess.com, Play Magnus AS and its subsidiary brands like Chessable and chess24 likely used common professional email formats. Post-acquisition, communications for integrated employees would typically be via Chess.com email addresses or continue under brand-specific domains now managed by Chess.com.

Common historical formats included [first].[last]@playmagnus.com, [first_initial][last]@playmagnus.com, or brand-specific domains like [first_initial][last]@chessable.com or [first_initial][last]@chess24.com.

Format

john.doe@playmagnus.com or jdoe@chessable.com

Example

75%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About Play Magnus AS?

Chess.com BlogJanuary 25, 2024

Play Magnus AS (as part of Chess.com) - State Of Chess.com - January 2024

Chess.com's update on its platforms includes progress and future plans for integrated Play Magnus Group brands like Chessable and chess24, highlighting continued development, feature enhancements, and community growth post-acquisition....more

Dot.LAJuly 19, 2023

Play Magnus AS (as part of Chess.com) - How Chess.com Is Integrating Magnus Carlsen’s Company Play Magnus

An article detailing the strategic integration of Play Magnus Group into Chess.com, discussing how the combined entity aims to enhance the chess experience for users worldwide by leveraging the strengths and communities of both organizations....more

Chess.com NewsDecember 16, 2022

Play Magnus AS - Chess.com’s Acquisition Of Play Magnus Group Is Complete

Chess.com officially announced the completion of its acquisition of the Play Magnus Group. This strategic move brought together major online chess platforms and communities with the shared goal of further growing the game of chess globally....more

Euronext Live / Play Magnus GroupAugust 24, 2022

Play Magnus AS - Chess.com Announces Recommended Voluntary Offer To Acquire Play Magnus Group

Chess.com made a public offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Play Magnus AS. The board of Play Magnus Group unanimously recommended the offer to its shareholders, initiating the acquisition process....more

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