World Chess (CHSS) , a London-based chess gaming and entertainment company, announced the launch of The Tower - a new player progression system on its online gaming platform WorldChess.com. The new structure aims to enhance clarity, visual appeal, and player incentives across the platform.
For context, World Chess is the official partner of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the world's governing chess body and member of the International Olympic Committee. World Chess is the exclusive operator of WorldChess.com, FIDE's official gaming platform where paid members from 160 countries can earn an online rating recognised by FIDE.
The new Tower structure is a vertical player progression system integrated into WorldChess.com. Every game earns "progress points", which can be exchanged for digital or physical rewards. Players move up through named "floors", gaining identity, status, and rewards along the way. A player's "floor" is public and attached to their name, games, and progression path, providing instant insight into their progress.
As the official partner of FIDE, World Chess has integrated The Tower into all FIDE-recognised games played on its platform to ensure that players progressing toward official FIDE ratings and titles can do so within the new structured environment. CHSS said The Tower will also be made available via API to other platforms, clubs, and national chess federations, with the goal of becoming a universal rewards layer for the entire online chess ecosystem.
Ilya Merenzon, CEO of World Chess, commented: "It's not just an update - it's chess's Duolingo moment: the introduction of a structure that rewards consistency, makes progress visible, and offers a fresh, design-driven user experience. We're building infrastructure - a way to see yourself progress in the game in a way that's meaningful, modern, and beautifully executed."
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World Chess has announced a major overhaul of the progression system within its WorldChess.com online gaming portal, expected to streamline incentives and give a clear overview of the player ladder. As World Chess is the exclusive operator of the platform for FIDE - the world's governing chess body - the new structure will be tightly integrated with official FIDE ratings awarded on the platform.
The move should reinforce World Chess' already strong brand and sales momentum, accelerate subscriber growth, and enhance its market position through the new system aiming to become an industry standard via open API distribution. CHSS will integrate the system into tournaments, rankings, and national leaderboards, adding advanced tiers at the pro level to increase the visibility of top players who frequently face off against grandmasters.
CHSS said the new system "borrows from the most successful consumer UX systems - Strava streaks, Spotify stats, Duolingo XP - and applies them to chess." "Ratings alone don't tell your story," CEO Merenzon adds "But the Tower does." All player progression data will be stored on the Algorand blockchain, opening up the possibility of 3rd party integrations.
In short, the new structure should increase retention, reduce drop-off, and drive Pro subscriptions on the platform. It should effectively act as a bridge between casual and professional play, motivating players to progress. WorldChess.com was already enjoying strong sales momentum, with FY24 revenues rising to €2.43m and net loss narrowing materially to €3.84m from €4.67m in FY23, while gross profit jumped to €889k from €179k the prior year.
The fivefold increase in gross profit was attributed to CHSS' shift toward higher-margin digital offerings and increased operational efficiency, which should be bolstered further by today's announcement. The strong performance lays a solid foundation for sustained growth, increased monetisation, and long-term financial stability, as CHSS solidifies its position as the go-to platform for elite online chess tournaments.
Looking ahead, a recent US$2m fundraise, a €6m loan secured in September 2024, and prior investments in FY24 and FY25 should keep CHSS funded to continue product development and platform expansion. The global chess market was valued at US$2.5bn in 2023 and is projected to grow to $3.8bn by 2032.
CHSS shares jumped 9% on the news.
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