Gamification, the practice of applying game mechanics and elements in non-game contexts, has become a buzzword in recent years, with its popularity on the rise across various sectors.
From education and healthcare to marketing and business, it has proven to be a powerful tool for increasing engagement, motivation, and driving desired behavior.
In this article, we will take a deep dive into what gamification is, why it’s important, and how it affects our world today.
What Is Gamification?
Simply stated, gamification is a practice that involves the use of game elements and principles in non-game contexts to generate interest and help achieve goals.
This involves the application of game-design elements such as challenges, rewards, points, and leaderboards, among others, to spark interest and engagement in everyday tasks.
Essentially, it’s a way to add vibrancy and life to the sometimes mundane – and who doesn’t love a little extra splash of color?
By taking the game elements that people enjoy and injecting them into real-life scenarios, we can start to see productivity, knowledge retention, and overall satisfaction increase.
How and Why Does It Work?
Let’s be honest. Life can be a bit boring and dull at times – especially while we’re at work, studying at university, or just trying to maintain the house. And, it’s pretty obvious that when we’re bored, we often aren’t as productive (or happy) as we could be.
Here’s where gamification actually steps into the picture. When we enjoy what we’re doing, we’re more likely to do it.
But how exactly does it work?
Looking at basic human psychology, most of us have quite similar desires.
Bunchball, a company that has perpetuated gamification for over 300 unique companies since 2007 notes that, at the end of the day, we all want to feel accomplished, recognized, appreciated, and rewarded. We want to feel like we’ve really accomplished something with our day. And, some of us like to satiate that need for healthy competition. Gamification gives us just that.
It can start small, such as a pizza party for employees if the monthly goal is met, or achievement stickers for your child completing their chores as they should.
These are not only fun things, but they give us the warm-fuzzies, and ultimately facilitate a feeling of pride in a job well done.
This can also flow into other aspects of your life, like education.
Did you know that our brains retain information better when we aren’t stressed out or overwhelmed? Makes sense, right?
Gamification takes educational bits and turns them into bite-sized, entertaining pieces of information that are much more likely to be retained after the fact.
When our brain relaxes, it turns into a sponge – ready to soak up all the good information the world has to offer.
Keep Coming Back for More
We mentioned earlier that gamification holds a certain level of motivation that drivers us to come back again and again. This is why historically video games have been so popular – plus, it’s way too easy to lose hours at a time on our phones.
According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, playing video games causes a burst of dopamine in our brains, making it hard to resist the urge for just one more round.
All that fun we experience encourages us to keep going and seek out those same pleasurable moments time and again.
Real World Applications
In 2022, reports stated that there are approximately 2.2 billion active mobile gamers. Wowzer!
That’s no small amount, so it’s not surprising why app developers wouldn’t take this opportunity to make the most of their screen time and bring gamification to other applications far and wide.
One of the most well-known is Duolingo, an educational app that walks you through learning a new language by engaging you with achievements, leaderboard competitions with friends, and a unique learning experience.
Other apps do this well, such as Fitbit or Nike+, where you can stay in tip-top shape, track exercises, compete on more leaderboards with friends, and more.
Also, commonly used are apps that assist in productivity and organization, such as Todoist. Earn Karma points, level up, and stay socially engaged through social media and show off your stuff.
inQubi and Gamification
Now, let’s take a gander at inQubi, the new breed of virtual pets.
These cute little digital critters live in your techie devices and love to play dress up, enjoy mini-games, go on adventures, and learn all kinds of fun things.
Of course, you’ll have to take care of them by feeding, watering, and grooming them to make sure they stay happy and healthy. But where is the gamification, and why is it important?
On the surface, inQubi is an adorable game for people of all ages to enjoy. But, at its core, the game serves multiple purposes. It works as an educational platform, a way to boost self-esteem and confidence, relieve stress, ease depression and anxiety, and so much more.
Especially for developing children, education is of utmost importance, which is why we’ve put so much effort into making it an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
In the game, soon you will be able to send your companions out on missions, where they explore the universe and everything it has to offer. When they return, they treat you to all the fun new things that they learned over the course of their journey. Fun facts, interesting tidbits, and quirky concepts will be introduced in a colorful and exciting way.
But there’s so much more to do with your pets.
By spending time with them, playing mini-games, and tending to their needs, you’ll earn Qubs – the official inQubi in-game currency.
The more you do, the more you progress, and the more you’ll earn. These Qubs can be used to unlock new items, pets, and even games.
We hope this will be a motivating factor for you to explore and enjoy the vast inQubi universe.
Final Thoughts
Gamification takes our potential to the next level and has been a huge positive influence in both the working and the gaming world.
