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Gamification or human-focused design will be a game changer in how we approach work and learning in 2025 and beyond. Many companies are opting for gamified solutions to attract users, boost user retention and motivation, or just make their apps more fun. If you have an app already, you don't have to redesign it completely to take advantage of gamification. Instead, gamified elements can be incorporated without significantly altering architecture or code.
Gamification frameworks like UCL’s COM-B model can identify desired behaviour, comprehend people's skills, motivations, and opportunities, spot change factors and recommend workable solutions. Apps that assist users in improving their lifestyles, forming new habits, or adopting new behaviours can greatly benefit from using a scientific approach.
Gamification in Remote Work Environments
Gamification will transform mundane tasks into engaging challenges by employing game mechanics and design, such as leaderboards, badges, points, and awards, to gamify tasks and encourage active involvement, enhancing employee participation and satisfaction.
Education, marketing, workforce training, health, wellness, and consumer involvement are some of the industries that can benefit from gamification.
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, many businesses switched to online-only hiring and training processes. Hence, developing adaptable and interesting L&D programs for remote workers has become more important now. Gamified solutions are great tools to address these issues.
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Recruiting (Recruitainment) |
Training |
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Recruitainment means an enjoyable hiring process for prospective employees contrasted to recruiting, which employs straightforward tactics for onboarding new talent.
Games or simulations could be used in the hiring process to show how candidates respond to various situations and to make the organisation seem more appealing.
Owing to the fast growth of the IT sector, IT companies will also gamify extensive recruiting activities to streamline job applications through assessment tests and virtual screenings.
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Gamified training practices have been demonstrated to improve employee engagement by over 60%.
With the help of gamified eLearning modules employees are being introduced to new operating procedures. Game elements including levels and scorecards also help teams to monitor their learning in real time.
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Gamification for Social Impact
Gamification will drive corporate sustainability campaigns as consumer demand for sustainable brands continues to grow, especially after the pandemic. It's clear that people care more than ever about environmental issues. In fact, over 90% of business leaders believe that sustainability is key to their company's success. To meet this demand, many companies are turning to gamification to make their sustainability initiatives more engaging and effective.
For example, Toyota used gamification to encourage customers to adopt energy-efficient practices in a fun way. Not only that, Recyclebank gives redeemable points to its members for choosing eco-friendly options, which can then be exchanged for discounts at local businesses.
Gamification will also support well-being and fitness programs, especially as mental health takes centre stage. Nike Run Club also exemplify this trend, allowing users to compete and share their fitness stats while earning rewards that keep them motivated. This approach fosters a sense of community among participants in addition to strengthening brand loyalty. As organisations increasingly adopt gamification, we can expect to see a more engaged workforce committed to healthier lifestyles.
Merging Virtual Reality and Engagement
With the market for AR and VR technologies predicted to grow to $100 billion by 2026, these immersive experiences can engage your audience in a fun and educational way.
Augmented reality (AR) is the ideal companion for gamification since it allows digital objects to be brought into the physical environment. One clever example? Pokemon!
Not only that, but virtual stickers hidden throughout your store will entice potential customers to get special discounts on finding them. Customers can subtly promote browsing by downloading your app for a virtual scavenger hunt.
According to user satisfaction surveys, presence (the degree to which psychological response generated in that virtual space is similar to reality), concurrency and social interaction are essential for creating positive experiences in metaverse spaces. Concurrency is the ease with which several users may work together at once, and social interaction is the process of establishing or enhancing social ties with other users.
Gamification & Metaverse
Gamification integrates the uses of game design techniques in non-game environments, such as education and problem-solving to increase motivation. Gamified environments use game thinking and mechanics in user interactions with stimuli, including websites, videos, or animations in metaverse.
Keeping in mind the VR and AR technologies we referred to earlier, imagine the metaverse as the next generation of online platforms. There’s a reason Facebook changed its parent company’s name to Meta. The metaverse will bring new ideas about gamification and advertising when a user gets immersed in the three-dimensional spaces within the platform.
AI-Driven Personalisation in Gamification
At present, 83% of leaders believe AI is a strategic priority for their businesses. What’s more, many companies use AI and gamification in combination.
AI-powered Gamification makes learning a highly personalised experience catering to each learner’s unique needs. For instance, Fitbit — a gamified fitness app that incorporates artificial intelligence to estimate the level of activity, exercise habits, or even specific components of diet plans, and generates a customised fitness plan. In addition, it is possible to track change in user behaviours and actively incorporate reinforcement learning through micro-updates that help optimise the plan ― thereby providing effective encouragement “along the way.”
Cultural Differences in Gamification: A Global Perspective for 2025
If you pay attention to people with different cultural backgrounds playing games together, you will notice each individual’s motivation varies. Take, for example, the role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations across diverse cultures. In some societies, recognition and rewards are powerful motivators, driving individuals to achieve and excel, while in others, the focus may lean more toward community and collective success.
In North America and Europe, gamification strategies that emphasise personal achievement and competition can drive engagement effectively. Features like points, badges, and individual rankings resonate well with users who value personal success. In contrast, in Japan or India, where group harmony and collective success are paramount, gamification should focus on cooperative tasks and shared goals. For example, a gamified training program in Japan might incorporate team challenges that reward collective achievements rather than individual performance.
As the global gamification market is steadily growing, companies that embrace cultural sensitivity will not only foster loyalty among their users but also drive greater success in their gamified products.
