It looks like gamification is everywhere these days. Gamification is a method of turning processes into games or reshaping it in a way when standard processes look like games. This is done to keep people engaged and make them spend more money or time interacting with the application or website. You can find these approaches anywhere starting from food delivery and taxi apps to language learning and dating. Gamification is used widely but not all people understand why gamification principles are so important. According to the recent studies, participants who used the gamified environment had a higher average of points, badges, and the number of logins than participants of the non-gamified group.
Let’s try to understand how using elements such as points, badges and leaderboards helps websites, apps and computer games keep their clients engaged and spend more.
What Is Gamification and Where to See Real-World Examples
Gamification is a commonly used practice in many industries. The most well-known examples, and Duolingo and Fitbit, both being leaders in their industries. Duolingo made its way to the top language learning app by turning language learning into a game where users are encouraged to practice every day in order to receive badges and claim up the leaderboard in their country. They’ve invested a lot into a pattern that increases your screen time and, in turn, makes you pay for additional credits within the app. This is a very nice example of how to deal with lazy users and make them spend extra bucks on subscriptions. Fitbit, on the other hand, is a good example for the health and fitness industry. They managed to add an additional level of fun to routine exercises. 777fun is another good example of using gamification in the gaming industry. They turned boring slots into engaging game streaks by implementing tournaments and leaderboards into the gameplay.
The main purpose of gamification is making regular tasks more interactive and rewarding. Even taxi apps offer you points for your daily rides to later allow you to spend them on perks and discounts. And it’s not just about giving you a $5 coupon code, it’s about giving you a feeling that you can get something bigger for doing your routine tasks. This makes people take extra rides just to earn a reward while they won’t even take this ride in regular circumstances.
How Gamification Hooks Our Brains
Our brains reward us with dopamine for completing tasks. Gamification works so well because it connects directly with how our brains handle rewards and motivation. Earning in-game points or unlocking a badge gives us a small reward that makes us want to keep going. This process helped humanity survive and now it makes us spend days in Call of Duty or World of Tanks trying to unlock the next reward or claim the leaderboard in your country. Let’s say you complete a task and get instant reward in a form of level-up, badge, or sound effect. That quick reaction makes the brain happy and encourages you to repeat the task. A good example is the sound of coins that is played in casino games after each round making peoples’ brains believe they’ve actually achieved something good.
These repeated action-reward cycles can create so-called “compulsion loop” where the brain starts to crave that reward feeling. That’s why people can’t stop playing a game or checking Tinder. It’s not just about fun, it’s about how our brains are wired to chase small wins and feel-good moments. Gamification keeps us engaged much longer, sometimes without us even realizing why. That’s part of what makes it such a powerful tool not only in games, but in education, fitness, shopping. Brands like Amazon and eBay make millions by understanding how human brains work and pulling the right strings.
How Gamification Keeps Us Coming Back
The key reason why gamification works so well in keeping us coming back to apps and games is because it plays with our need to feel successful. This lies way deep into our psychology and how the brain motivates us to do things. In short, there are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation works when we do something because we enjoy it. Extrinsic motivation is when we do something to get a reward. In the case of apps and games this could be points, badges or even money incentives. A well-engineered gamified system often uses both at the same time. You might enjoy learning a new language, but also feel pushed forward by claiming the progress badges.
Setting small and achievable goals is another thing that keeps users hooked. When you have a clear goal to reach—like filling up a progress bar, completing daily challenges, or unlocking the next level, you can get a dopamine reward quickly and way more often than in real life. Even something as simple as a streak counter “You’ve studied 5 days in a row!” makes people want to keep going even if this achievement is worth nothing.
Social aspect is another thing that keeps the wheel rolling. Apps often ask you to connect your social accounts to find out if your friends are playing the same game or using the same app. And if they do, you will be put on a challenge to prove you are a better gamer and acquired more achievements. The very next moment you step into this challenge gonna keep you hooked for hours and so focused and into what you’re doing that time flies by. When people are caught by gamification techniques, they keep playing because it actually feels good to stay engaged.
And to sum things up, gamification keeps us coming back because it makes us feel like we’re achieving small goals. It can be leveling up in your favorite game, getting a prize, or just enjoying the progress, that sense of achievement is a big part of why it works.