Top Gamification Trends and Innovations To Watch Out For In The Gaming Industry

If you’re a fan of FPS shooter games, you may have heard of a popular post-apocalyptic mobile game called Dead Trigger 2. I used to play that frequently back then. 

But did you know that it’s not just a mere zombie shooter game? It’s got a lot more to it than you’d think. 

Like other FPS games, you have the opportunity to earn a plethora of rewards after each mission and even compete in arenas for a chance to dominate the global leaderboard. What makes this game stand out is its in-game casino that you can play in to earn free rewards.

Described above are common examples of gamification in video games, techniques you can implement as a game developer to motivate and engage players with an immersive and rewarding experience. 

Curious to know about the latest gamification trends and innovations in the gaming industry? Scroll down and let’s find out! 

How Gamification Influences Gamers and The Gaming Industry?

The ability to captivate and immerse players not only resides within gaming but has also made its way into other domains such as education and fitness. Gamification has the power to engage players through the following ways:

• Enhanced Player Engagement
  

As a game developer, the main question you need to ask yourself is what do your players want? And most importantly, how do you keep your players actively engaged? 

This is exactly what gaming industry gamification addresses. Player preferences are constantly changing and your challenge will be to motivate them to play further and boost loyalty. 

Hence, through the implementation of gaming mechanics such as leaderboards, reward systems, and level-ups, you can offer your players a sense of accomplishment and progression, motivating them to keep playing and exploring your game. 

• Microtransactions
  

Did you know that popular game publisher, Electronic Arts (EA) raked in about $4.46 billion in microtransactions as of 2024? 

Astonishing as this number may be, this is one of their largest sources of revenue. Microtransactions are common elements you can find in almost every game today, but they have evolved beyond just in-game purchases.

Now, gamification has made its way into in-game stores where players can acquire rewards by completing a few mini-games rather than having to fork over real money to purchase an item.

For example, Garena Free Fire, a popular FPS shooter, consistently updates the game with seasonal content and rewards in the store, allowing players to complete mini-games to earn new in-game cosmetics and weapons. 

• Behavioral Change and Learning Opportunities For Players
  

Gaming industry gamification has also shown immense potential in driving behavioral changes within players and enhancing learning opportunities for them. 

This can be observed more in educational games where the incorporation of gaming mechanics such as quests, challenges, and rewards make the learning process more engaging and immersive. 

Popular e-learning app, Duolingo is a classic example of one that incorporated gamified elements such as streaks and rewards that motivated users to keep practicing and learning new languages. 

• Expanding the Gaming Audience
  

Why stop with just gamers, when you have a much wider audience to reach? The answer to that again lies in gaming industry gamification.

Through gamification, you have the opportunity to reach an untapped market of casual gamers, and even non-gamers as well. 

For example, fitness apps like Fitbit implemented gamified elements that enabled users to track their workouts, set goals, and earn badges for achievements. By transforming the fitness experience into a game-like experience, users found fitness to be more engaging and were highly motivated to stay active.

Gamification Case Study: Pokemon Go

Ever heard of the game called Pokemon Go? If you are a gamer or a developer, I’m sure you do. 

The launch of Pokemon GO in 2016 took the world by storm, reaching more than 1 billion users. This augmented reality experience merged the virtual world of Pokemon with the real world, encouraging players to explore their surroundings and discover hidden Pokemon. 

The integration of gamified mechanics into Pokemon Go made it one of the biggest gamification success stories that changed the face of gaming forever. One of the key elements of its gamification was the use of badges and rewards that motivated players to walk, explore their surroundings and capture Pokemon to earn in-game rewards and achievements. 

The use of AR technology in the game also enabled players to see and interact with virtual Pokemon in the real world, enhancing immersion and making players feel like they were in the game and catching Pokemon in the wild.

The impact of gamification in Pokemon Go since its launch was massive as the game generated over $200 million in revenue, also reaching over 100 million downloads in its first month. It ultimately became a cultural sensation as players explored their neighborhoods and cities and even teamed up with each other to participate in raids. 

Top Trends in Gamification in Gaming Industry

Here are some of the top gaming industry gamification trends to look out for in 2024

• IoT Sync With Gamification Features

You may have come across the Internet of Things (IoT), a piece of technology that can be found in wearable devices. If you are both a gamer and a fitness freak, then you are bound to experience the best of both worlds through the power of IoT.

For example, fitness trackers can collect data on your real-life activities. Based on the data collected, you will be rewarded in the app or game and will be motivated to consistently maintain your physical fitness.

• Enhanced Immersion Through AR and VR

The fascinating world of virtual reality and augmented reality cannot be ignored as they hold massive potential in integrating the virtual world with our physical space.

Collaborations between game developers and immersive technology providers are expected to grow in prominence and gamers can be a part of that too. While building a game, users can incorporate several gamified mechanics like challenges, quests, social elements, and rewards to keep players engaged and build a sense of community among them. 

• Adaptive Gameplay

Some video games can be difficult, but there’s a lot more that goes on behind the scenes than you’d realize. 

You may have played games like Metal Gear Solid and Fallout 3 and realized that certain areas have different difficulty levels. 

But the truth is that the difficulty levels are not pre-set. They are based on your skill levels. How does this work?

The answer is Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Both revolutionary technologies can analyze player behavior and tailor their gaming experiences according to their skill, giving them a more engaging and satisfactory experience. 

• Cross-platform Connectivity

By default, cross-platform connectivity encompasses several multiplayer games such as Call of Duty, Apex Legends, Fortnite, etc. Through this, players from Xbox, PlayStation, and other platforms can interact and compete with one another. 

This is not only successful in fostering healthy competition between them but has also been instrumental in keeping players more engaged and motivated, thanks to reward systems and leaderboards.

Transform the Gaming Landscape Through Gamification with Flyy

By implementing gamified mechanics into your video games, you can not only enhance player engagement but also increase player loyalty and give them immersive and enjoyable virtual experiences. 

At Flyy, we provide you with the gamification tools you need to take your video game to the next level and boost the engagement levels of your players. If you’d like to know more about how we can do that, contact us today for a free demo.