How is gamification raising the bar of online engagement?

While it is not a new development in the online world, gamification’s popularisation has now reached mass appeal on a level never before seen. Affording new opportunities over a range of different concerns, this market shift marks a fundamental change in the industry’s trajectory. So just what is gamification exactly, and how is it being utilised to change our online experience?

What is Gamification?

Gamification refers to adding game-like aspects to parts of websites and services which are not necessarily game-centric themselves. This can take many forms, and generally applies to the greater infrastructure on top of which a service rests. When used, this can apply a wide range of changes back to the target of a website. This is traditionally used to simply encourage further engagement, but newer developments have been taking it a step further.

The Common Examples

For a look at the most often utilised methods of gamification, we could turn to a major gaming delivery service such as Steam. This is a video game storefront – the largest in the industry – and includes an enormous framework of direct community integration.

Gamification for Steam takes the form of a greater user level, which is directly applied to a user’s account. This level is raised as a user engages more within Steam and the greater trading system. In turn, higher user levels give the players more customisation options and better drop rates for trading card rewards.

Other common rewards for higher user levels with gamification systems include invitations to special VIP clubs or dedicated chat-rooms.

Newer Developments

Understanding the appeal of gamification has led to recent developments which have opened the door to an entirely new method of integration. Perhaps most illustrative of this is how gamification is gaining popularity among casinos online. These systems are not used entirely to encourage engagement, also going out of their way to drive positive habits.

These new systems of gamification as adopted by online casinos work to give users rewards when they play responsibly and boost the social interaction side of the online platforms. In this way, they generate better rewards for the player indirectly.

Expanding Possibilities

A large component of gamification is understanding the greater role it can have on human psychology. As creatures who value rewards, the effect gamification levels can have on our appreciation and internalisation of concepts is not one that should be underestimated.

Traditionally, this has been to make us more involved with the base systems on top of which gamification is built, but this has proven to just be the start. By appealing to the same part of us, services like online casinos have helped mitigate areas of contention, to allow better chances of future positive outcomes.

In a way, this acts as a simple evolution of the reward systems we grew up with and use to this day. Gamification has now reached a level of positive reinforcement which has broadened what is considered possible. As a still growing part of online frameworks, expect this concept to become an increasingly visible part of the online world in future.