We bet you’ve heard of Duolingo, Nike Run Club, and Forest, all of which utilize gamification in their ux design. Gamification is what these apps owe their success to. Not entirely perhaps, but largely so. Gamification is exactly what makes these apps so addictive and sticky.
Research even shows that gamification can double user engagement. But does that mean every app should incorporate gamification to enhance user engagement? And if so, how?
We’ll dive into all of that and more in this article.
What is gamification in UX design
In short, gamification means adding game-like elements to things that aren’t games. This might include features like challenges, progress bars, and rewards to increase engagement. In fact, gamification is as old as humanity itself — think of hunters gathering trophies as a form of tracking progress and achievement.
Fast forward to today, and gamification has become widely adopted in digital products. One recent adopter is LinkedIn, which introduced actual games to its platform.
Now that we know what gamification is, let’s explore why it’s worth the effort in the first place.
Benefits of gamification in UX: why bother?
First and foremost, gamification significantly boosts retention, stickiness and engagement. All these metrics are crucial for enhancing engagement within a product or service.
Secondly, it serves as a powerful differentiator in crowded markets. Here’s why: when new markets emerge, they usually need time to mature. For example, early users of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT didn’t expect a stellar user experience. But as competition grew, so did expectations.
As markets mature, users become more selective, and introducing groundbreaking features becomes more challenging. At this stage, the focus should shift to enhancing user experience (UX), particularly usability and desirability.
Secondly, it serves as a powerful differentiator in crowded markets. Here’s why: when new markets emerge, they usually need time to mature. For example, early users of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT didn’t expect a stellar user experience. But as competition grew, so did expectations.
As markets mature, users become more selective, making it essential to use gamification to increase user engagement. At this stage, the focus should shift to enhancing user experience (UX), particularly usability and desirability.
This is where gamification shines as it’s a powerful tool for user engagement. It makes products genuinely enjoyable to use, which encourages users to return repeatedly.
In the context of digital products, gamification enhances retention and stickiness.
Gamification tactics: key game mechanics
There are numerous ways to implement gamification in various stages of design process, and the tactics we’ll discuss here are just a starting point. It’s also worth noting that some tactics often blend together, making it challenging to separate one from another in the context of gamification examples.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s cover each tactic separately.
Leaderboards & Social interaction
People are naturally competitive, and climbing the ranks in any leaderboard is a surefire way to gamify the experience and trigger that dopamine release. Many digital products leverage this to keep users engaged.
Take Clutch, for example — an agency-ranking website that utilizes gamification in UX design. Our agency, Excited, currently ranks #5 in the UX Global Leadership matrix. This motivates us to push harder until we reach that coveted #1 spot.
AAnother example is Count’d, which is a recent project of ours that incorporates elements of gaming. This is an app that helps users track their nutrition habits, utilizing gamification to enhance the user experience.
We’ve built a system where users compete with each other through points they gain via completing useful activities. This both helps the users stay consistent, and ensures good retention and engagement.
Challenges and streaks
Challenges and streaks are powerful motivators that exemplify the use of gamification. For example, can you log 20 hours of running this month? Think you can? Then prove it by implementing effective game elements. Challenges like these are great for keeping people on track.
{{case-study}}
The same goes for streaks. If a user has maintained an action for nine days straight, breaking the streak becomes that much harder to bear.
Strava is a good example of gamification done well, especially with its group challenges. This combines the power of challenges with a social element: not only do you get the satisfaction of reaching your goals, but you also get to see how you’re stacking up against friends.
.webp)
Progress bars
Progress bars hold a unique allure — you just have to see what happens when they reach 100%. There’s a mix of intrigue and satisfaction in that completion.
Curious to see the end result? Then complete each step the system requires, and you’ll be rewarded. This is a trick many designers use (us included) to ensure that users complete their onboarding. In the example below, we’ve employed the same approach for our project Xilo — a SaaS automation platform that enhances the user experience.
In-app currency
In-app currency serves a dual purpose: it rewards users for completing tasks and then encourages them to spend that currency within the app for additional rewards. This creates a feedback loop that motivates users to keep coming back through the use of gamification.
Badges & Stickers
Badges and stickers are another effective way to use gamification to reward users within your app. For example, Audible awards badges for specific actions completed in the app. For example, there is a badge given to users who listen to audiobooks for seven consecutive days.
Rewards & Collectibles
Lastly, let’s discuss collectibles. In our recent crypto project, Verida utilizes game mechanics to enhance user experience, and we’ve implemented a system that rewards users with collectibles for completing specific tasks within the app, showcasing effective gamification design.
Examples of Gamification in UX
Now that we’ve covered the tactics, let’s go over a few products that heavily utilize gamification strategies.
LinkedIn: game elements in a corporate setting
First up is LinkedIn, a somewhat unexpected example. Recently, the platform launched games — yes, you heard that right.
If we had to speculate, LinkedIn is likely aiming to boost retention and engagement through gamification elements. Another speculation of ours is that many users tend to log in only when they need to apply for jobs, and these games could encourage them to use LinkedIn more frequently.
The games also introduce a competitive element, as users can see if their connections have completed their daily challenges. Additionally, LinkedIn employs subtler gamification techniques.
For example, adding a certificate to your profile functions as a badge, while trying to uncover who viewed your profile acts as a quest. This illustrates how gamification can be both explicit and subtle, particularly in the realm of ux gamification.
Duolingo: effective gamification 101
Duolingo is a quintessential example of gamification, having gamified nearly every element of the user experience. Users encounter levels, badges, rewards, and tournaments throughout the app.
One of the most effective features for maintaining high usage metrics is the daily streaks. Once users establish a streak, the motivation to maintain it increases significantly.
Perhaps, the most ingenious way in which gamification helps keep the usage metrics high is daily streaks. Once users reach a certain streak it’s that much more motivating to keep it.
Geisted: how to gamify NFT's
The final example is a product we designed, incorporating game mechanics: Geisted. This NFT marketplace enables artists to buy and sell digital artworks.
Geisted also includes an offline component, allowing users to purchase tickets for offline events and receive NFTs as rewards.
The platform heavily incorporates collectibles that users can trade, providing tangible rewards for engagement with the product and enhancing user engagement.
How to Implement Gamification
To successfully implement gamification, you need to very clear on the behaviours you want to encourage. Define clear objectives. These may include increasing engagement, retention, or task completion. Then, choose game mechanics that align with these goals — points, badges, leaderboards, challenges or any other that we outlined in this article. Keep in mind that these elements must enhance the user experience. Not disrupt it.
Typically, a UX designer would focus on gamification pretty early on into the design process. Again, it needs to be naturally integrated into the experience, rather than being something that's added later.
Next, you need to integrate into your product. Keep it simple and intuitive. Users should feel motivated, not overwhelmed. Use gradual progression, such as unlocking new features or achievements over time. This way you keep users interested. Personalization can also boost effectiveness, allowing users to set their own goals or preferences.
A great framework to ensure sustainable gamification-powered interest is Fogg's behavior model.
Lastly, test and iterate. Monitor user responses, engagement rates, and retention metrics to course correct as needed. Gamification should evolve based on real user feedback. Avoid making rewards feel obligatory or manipulative — focus on intrinsic motivation by making the experience genuinely enjoyable and rewarding.
Does every product need gamification?
The short answer is no; however, effective gamification can significantly boost user engagement. First, gamification may not always be conceptually appropriate. If an experience offers little potential for rewards, gamification likely won’t add value. Many successful products thrive without relying on gamification, so it’s essential to consider whether it’s worth the effort.
Secondly, implementing gamification effectively requires a skilled design team that can seamlessly integrate these elements into the overall experience. If done poorly, gamified features in UI design can end up distracting and frustrating users, undermining the intended gamification design.
Main Challenges of Gamification
The single most important challenge is ensuring gamification adds value. More often than not it's just a gimmick. Poorly designed gamification always feels forced or irrelevant. Once extrinsic rewards become overused, the user focus shifts to the game, rather than what this game helps user achieve.
Another issue is balancing difficulty and reward. If tasks are too easy, users lose interest; if they are too hard, frustration hits in. A well-structured progression system is absolutely fundamental. Additionally, different users respond to gamification differently — some enjoy competition, while others prefer personal achievement, so you need to ensure sufficient variety.
Lastly, there's ethical concerns. Gamification should not be manipulative. Transparency, user control, and a focus on positive engagement should guide design decisions. When done right, gamification enhances experiences without feeling malicious.
Bottom line
Gamification is more than just a passing trend. Games have been a part of human culture for as long as we can remember, and it’s only recently that gamification has gained traction in digital products. If your product has the potential for gamifying the experience, you should definitely consider it. Just ensure you have a capable team ready to tackle the challenge. If you need such a team skilled in game design, feel free to reach out to us!
We helped our client raise $50 mil. and win 2 design awards. Here's how.
