The Gamification Effect: How Leaderboards, Missions, and Trophies Are Changing How We Play

According to a recently published study, the gamification market is expected to reach $74 billion by 2029, with a CAGR growth rate approaching 29%. These are extremely impressive figures, and when you consider that gamification techniques are used to influence consumer behavior, they affect us all. In other words, this is not just a strategy used by iGaming brands like IceCasino, as some might assume: as consumers, we encounter its applications in almost every aspect of our daily lives. Let’s take a closer look at this strategy, which is based on simple yet effective psychological principles.

What Is Gamification?

In its simplest form, gamification involves incorporating elements and mechanics seen in games into the marketing techniques of other industries. The aim is to increase the popularity of a specific product or service. Consumers are motivated through certain methods, which are based on the principles of goals, rewards, and competition. To put it simply:

• Goal: The consumer is clearly shown what they need to do to achieve a specific reward. For example, it is stated that if they purchase another product along with the one they bought, they will earn the “perfect shopper” achievement.
• Reward: This can be anything, but it is important that the consumer clearly understands what it is and how they can earn it. These are often virtual badges, achievements, or cosmetic items.
• Competition: The consumer is shown the achievements and rewards of other consumers. This is typically presented in a scoreboard format. The consumer is encouraged to “challenge their competitors” and is incentivized to do so.

Although these are simple principles, they can be incredibly effective when applied correctly. Gamification is not a strategy that rewards the consumer for every simple action they take. For example, earning points for every product you purchase is a very simple and inefficient application of this strategy. However, for example, donating a portion of the amount you pay for every ten purchases to a social welfare organization and earning a badge in return would be a much more effective and efficient strategy.

Why Does Gamification Work?

The reason this strategy works is related to the chemistry of our brains. When you get a reward—regardless of its type—your brain releases dopamine. This is a hormone associated with happiness. Even if you are not aware of it, your brain eventually establishes a connection between the reward and dopamine and begins to encourage you to continue seeking rewards in order to keep the hormone flowing. This is technically called the “dopamine reward loop”—a happiness cycle based on repetition. The simplicity of gamification becomes an advantage here, as your brain can easily understand what needs to be done to receive the reward.

How Does Gamification Affect Games and Players?

Gamification is a strategy rooted in games, but after being refined in other industries, it has returned to games in a much more advanced form. Regardless of type and platform, you can see these strategies being used in almost every game developed in the last 10 years. Casino games are at the forefront of this trend, as they are already designed to encourage players to achieve a goal and compete. In other words, they are inherently well-suited for gamification. Here are a few examples:

• Games developed by Pragmatic Play feature a monthly event called Drops & Wins, which resets every month. This event includes a real-time updated scoreboard, and this scoreboard is accessible in every game developed by this studio. Players can regularly track how much other players have won.
• Achievements have become a common feature added to most slot machines in recent times. These achievements, which are based on win amount, win frequency, and bet amount, also come with some special rewards. For example, after completing 1,000 spins in a game, you can earn a virtual badge and 5 free spins.

However, casino games are not the only category where gamification techniques are applied. The same techniques can also be seen in PC, console, and mobile games. Here are some examples:

• Dying Light 2, developed for PC and console, offers challenges to players exploring the open world at regular intervals. These challenges are mostly about reaching a point from another point in the shortest possible time, and have a global scoreboard.
• In almost all mobile games, purchasing in-game items grants exclusive rewards, special cosmetics, and badges. With every purchase, you obtain something that sets you apart from other players.
• Almost all MMORPG games feature global achievements. These include easily distinguishable accomplishments like “world first,” “server first,” and “most kills,” which can be used as a source of pride. It is even possible to see players who have been playing the same game for months just to achieve a single achievement.

Considering how successful these results are, it is safe to say that gamification techniques will not disappear, but will instead evolve into more effective and personalized forms.

The Future of Gamification

With the use of artificial intelligence, we can safely say that gamification techniques will become much more personalized in the near future. Currently, these strategies are aimed at the general public, but they will soon become personalized, offering each player/consumer goals and rewards tailored to their own playing/consumption style. This will make them much more effective and productive. The way we play games and our habits as consumers are changing, and gamification strategies are leading the way in this transformation.