Gamification 2.0: A Genre-Based Framework for Designing Around Players, Not Metrics
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Summary
This article argues that gamification design is fundamentally flawed because it treats "game psychology" as a monolith. The author introduces a genre-based framework for gamification, asserting that different game genres (e.g., action, strategy, role-playing, simulation) engage players through distinct psychological mechanisms. Rather than slapping points and badges onto products, designers should match the game genre's core dynamics to the user's intrinsic motivations and the product's purpose. The piece critiques the metrics-obsessed approach of traditional gamification and advocates for player-centered design that respects the diversity of why people play games.
Source
UX MagazineGamification 2.0: A Genre-Based Framework for Designing Around Players, Not Metricsuxmag.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledWhen a product team says, 'Let's add gamification,' they're making the same mistake as saying, 'Let's add music,' without specifying what kind of music.
There is no single 'game psychology.'
The most important thing most gamification designers miss: there is no single 'game psychology.'
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