Gamification of Reality: Where Games and Augmented Reality Merge
Gamification is hardly a new concept. The term itself was coined back in 2002 by Nick Pelling, a British-born computer programmer and inventor. Nick defined the term as, “Applying game-like accelerated user interface design to make electronic transactions both enjoyable and fast.” Its popularity skyrocketed in 2011, when it was officially added it to Gartner’s Hype Cycle list.At the core of gamification is game theory, a branch of mathematics that seeks to understand why an individual makes a particular decision and how the decisions made by one individual affect others. Using concepts and techniques from game theory, gamification aims to engage participants with activities they find appealing, in order to influence their behavior.
Common elements of gamification include various points, reward badges, and leaderboards where users can strive to outperform others. A properly implemented gamification has a lot of advantages ranging from an increase in customer engagement to higher customer loyalty and access to in-depth data that can give further insights into users’ interests and passions.
Let’s take a look at some real-life examples of gamification to understand just how omnipresent it really is.
Army
Conceived in 1999 by Colonel Casey Wardynski, the U.S. Army has developed and published a first-person shooter (FPS) game called America’s Army with a single goal: to support U.S. Army recruiting. The gameplay mechanics are very similar to other tactical shooters. Players are divided into squats and use realistic weapons as they fight against one another for a set number of rounds. Featured in the game is the HMMWV, Mk 19 grenade launcher, and Browning M2, among many other contemporary weapons from the arsenal of U.S. military. One game historian commented that the game has “grown in ways its originators couldn’t have imagined.” Indeed, its rating of 82 on Metacritic and the large number of industry awards confirms its great success among civilians from all over the world.Learning
Learning platforms, such as Treehouse or Doulingo, revolutionize how people learn how to code, speak other languages, or how they gain professional knowledge and skills to advance their careers. Individual subjects and courses have clearly outlined paths for users to follow. For each completed lesson, users are rewarded with points and badges, which demonstrate their achievement. Points are usually multiplied if the user logs into to the side for multiple consecutive days in a row. This increases user retention and motivates people to keep studying.Healthcare
Health insurance companies and health care providers are using gamification to stir people toward a healthier lifestyle. According to Gamification.co, United is working on an app called United Healthcare Motion. “People carrying insurance will be given wearable devices that will track their daily activities, including the number of steps they walk. Participants will be given financial incentives for meeting certain goals.” Other apps, such as Fitbit, MyFitnessPal, and Nike+ work on a similar principle. Nike+ allows people to track their runs and challenge friends – all to encourage them to top their personal records.Shopping
Retailers have been using gamification for a long time, but they are only recently started to embrace technology to take it to the next level. Starbucks, for example, is now rewarding customers by giving them stars for their purchases. Each star fills up a virtual cup by a small bit. Once completely filled, the customer gets a free coffee.Government Control
But perhaps the most sinister application of gamification comes from China. The Chinese government has created a social tool named Sesame Credit to gamify obedience to the State. Using this tool, people are given scores based on how well their actions align with the official government policy.The tool pulls data from social networks and online purchase histories, judging if people share articles that praise the Chinese government, purchase domestic products, and many others.
The tool is currently in a testing phase, but it’s expected that it will become mandatory by 2020. When that happens, the rating given by Sesame Credit could have real world consequences. Users with low scores could have their internet speeds restricted, and those with good scores could gain access to more lucrative jobs.
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