Gamify: How Gamification Motivates People to Do Extraordinary Things

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Give Meaning to Players

Now that we understand what gamification is, we also need to understand what it is not. There is a lot of confusion and debate surrounding the similarities and differences between video games, rewards programs, and gamification. Because they share some similar constructs, such as points and levels, people often think they are the same and that the principles that are applied to one can be applied to another. But video games and rewards programs are very different from gamification, and it’s important to have a clear understanding of those differences to avoid confusion.

Companies that provide rewards and incentive programs see themselves as having “done gamification for a long time,” and find it difficult to distinguish ...