Gametopia or Gamepocalypse?

I had a high school friend (and he was thaaat friend…) who seemed convinced that he lived in a role-playing video game. He rated bullies (Did I mention he was bullied? Do I even need to?) in terms of strength, speed, and intelligence attributes and weighed his own "attributes" against theirs to determine whether he could "beat" them. He spoke of "leveling up" when studying or improving certain skills. I didn't stick around town long enough to learn whether or not he grew out of this practice, but needless to say he made life a little more interesting until I was 18 or so.

Bryan's life was the first I knew to be gamified. Over a decade later, in this present day, "gamification" is a term tossed about rather freely when referring to gaming mechanics and thinking as applied to everyday life. It's a concept that's been hailed as a revolutionary tool for user engagement, as well as derided as a restrictive marketing fad. An exploration of gamification will hopefully help you decide for yourself.

Gamification exploits some natural, fundamentally human traits: competition, longing for achievement, seeking out closure. You have to admit, seeing that progress bar finally fill up on that 1 GB pirated film you just downloaded feels pretty darn satisfying. Gamification takes that status bar and ramps it up ten notches: on many gamified sites, performing better or faster than an online pal results in the granting of virtual currency, coupons, or reward points or badges. Marketers realized some time ago that this double-shot of dopamine might be key to engaging young customers and other users.

Take a look around the commercial landscape these days and you'll see more gamified sites and products than there are broken fourth walls in House of Cards. Apps like Fitocracy allow you to earn points and "level up" depending upon your fitness performance. For the youngins, Disney/Oral-B's Magic Timer app "watches" and times kids brushing their teeth (with an approved Oral-B toothbrush, of course) and unlocks images as they brush for longer periods of time. Microsoft's been in the game for a while, and even revived Clippy to participate in Ribbon Hero 2, a game designed to educate new Office 2007 and 2010 users on how to use a ribbon interface. As long as you're watching your favorite show anyway, why not pull out your phone and check-in to Fango to chat with fellow fans and give marketers a little prized demographic data?

Sounds like harmless fun, yes? Maybe, but some commentators like Jesse Schell (somewhat humorously) envision a gamified dystopian future, in which tilt sensors in cereal boxes let manufacturers know when you're pouring their product, and your toothbrush transmits data to your healthcare provider in order to shave some pennies off your dental premiums. Considering the growing attempts to popularize smart house technology and uberconnectivity, this world seems outlandish but not impossible.

Gamification has its share of serious detractors, too. Will Wright of SimCity fame compared current gamification techniques to monosodium glutamate, in that most companies are sure that sprinkling some game-like elements into their brand recipe can instantly make it more palatable. Hardcore game designers are offended by the term "gamification" because the practice doesn't take into account the fact that the best, most endearing games are structurally well-designed, not gimmicky like gamified apps and websites. Some imply that gamification is just a technologically enhanced iteration of a loyalty program and that "exploitationware" would be a more suitable name. Jane McGonigal, who was referred to as "the current public face of gamification" by The Guardian in 2011, resents the concept because it focuses on rewards outside of gameplay, a characteristic which is rare in well-designed "real" games which are valued for gameplay alone.

The fact of the matter is that gamification is here; whether or not it sticks around and develops further remains to be seen. Will our children, who have always been exposed to gamified learning to some degree, grow up advantaged? Will the populace at large suddenly wake up and realize they're wasting their lives for badges, medals, and useless points? Do you envision a real-life, gamified future?

And Bryan, wherever you are: if the Gamepocalypse does occur, you'll be way ahead of everyone else.

Image credits: Wesley Fenlon | Jesse Schell