Invisible games: gamification examples in daily life

Written by Miguel Almeida, Game Designer at vaibe

In 2023, the gaming industry remains the most profitable entertainment sector, surpassing movies, music, and books. Sometimes, it even outclasses them combined. If you asked the average blue-collar worker or any regular person if they play games, most of the time they would answer no. And if the question were about examples of gamification, or even what gamification looks like in everyday life, their response could be just as vague.

So, what is the deal? Are companies missing out on a big opportunity or is there more happening behind the scenes that we don’t know about? In this article we’ll explore how people incorporate gamification into everyday life – even if they don’t realize it -, a concept known as “invisible games”.

Let’s first look at the fitness and wellness industry for examples of gamification. Gamified apps have completely revolutionized the landscape. To the point where if you’re not working out using a fitness app, can you even say you’re working out at all? By cleverly using game features like achievements, badges, points, and leaderboards, fitness apps have transformed mundane workouts into exciting games that motivate users. 

Now, you’re no longer simply working out to better yourself. You’re always striving for a higher score, a new shiny badge to display on your profile, or a higher placement on the leaderboards. These gamification elements enhance your engagement through a well-developed user experience. 

Some apps make workouts more fun by creating stories for players to follow. Some apps create stories for players to follow during workouts, making them more enjoyable. Jogging apps, for instance, can make players feel like they are running from zombies. They can also create a sense of embarking on an epic quest to deliver a special ring. 

Moving on to retail and sales, we can closely observe how game mechanics in loyalty programs have taken over the customer experience. Similarly to quests or missions from a videogame, customer loyalty systems seek to turn consumers into players. That happens by giving them simple tasks that earn them points, followed by reward programs for their commitment to completing them. 

Every purchase is now seen as a point that puts the buyer ever closer and closer on track to earning their much-coveted exclusive discounts or free goodies. What was once a simple transaction has now become a quest that’s moving ever-forward towards a grand reward.   

Lastly let’s look at the education and training sectors, where gamification has likely had the biggest impact. Education and training applications have evolved universally, regardless of age, field, or subject matter. They now incorporate gamification features to transform the learning process into a more engaging and dynamic experience. 

People looking to learn go on journeys that enable them to visualize their progress. That makes learning feel like a fun, interactive adventure. Every lesson completed is now a major checkpoint to boost engagement on this journey. And every test surpassed is a major milestone conquered.   

Students and trainees can now showcase their proficiency by displaying the badges they’ve earned from mastering skills, creating a collection-like experience in the pursuit of knowledge. In some cases, such as educational quiz games, the line between game and education is so thin that studying doesn’t feel like studying at all. What was once considered a boring task for some has now become an enjoyable activity for all. 

Those are some of the ways we can now experience gamification in our daily lives and activities. By infusing game elements into even the simplest things in our lives we can turn them into exciting, engaging and rewarding new activities.

So think about what vaibe can do for your workplace! Our mission at vaibe is to use gamification to make work more fun and rewarding. We use elements like the ones mentioned above and many more to keep people engaged and passionate about their work. To give them greater sense of accomplishment for their contributions. And to give them something to strive for every day, because with vaibe, every day is a game!

 Ready to level up your workplace? Try vaibe today!