The Dark Side of Gaming — “Gamification”

These are some common criticisms that I have encountered while sharing the benefits of gaming:

• Games can be highly addictive and may consume a significant time.
• Many games necessitate in-game purchases to enhance characters and progress.
• A majority of games revolve around violence, promoting killings, murders, and assassinations.

I fully accept these criticisms as they are valid concerns.

As a gamer, I admit I've done all these things. I've played Assassin’s Creed with Blood Mode turned on to experience the blood spill after my kills. I've invested in cosmetics and other cash items in MMORPGs. As for addiction, I can easily spend 15+ hours playing any game in a day, with my average time being much higher.

So why am I extremely passionate about “The Gaming Learning”? It is because of the distinction between gamification and gaming. I truly admire how Susan Rivers has defined these terms so eloquently.

Gamification

Gamification is all about:

• Continually activate the player to want more, play more, not give up, and continue spending money.
• Creating fun, interaction and designing systems that exploit the player’s reward mechanisms, especially in young people seeking external rewards.

Susan Rivers says, “I don’t think that’s a good use of game mechanics. It’s sophisticated in its execution, but it’s not very interesting or creative. It doesn’t create a space that truly supports young people in their vulnerability and potential.”

My Story

Recently, I played The Legends of Neverland. The game is heavily Pay to Win (P2W). A friend of mine, a big spender, shelled out around $1,200 in one month just to get a fairy. He couldn’t wait for the next opportunity. He also deeply desired to always be at Rank 1. He would buy cash items and build his character whenever he faced a challenging level or risked losing his top rank.

Some players, build their characters slowly and clear the challenges using skills and strategies despite lower power. I am not bragging, but I’ve been one of them. I could clear levels because of my skills and tricks.

Gaming

Gaming, especially for good or just for fun, can captivate a person’s attention for a specific period. The important question is if it becomes a meaningful experience. Does it facilitate personal growth, skill development, and self-discovery in the virtual world and real life?

Susan Rivers backs it as “There’s so much more creativity in the gaming space versus the gamification space. It translates the science of psychology to unpack and tap into human experience, helping young people thrive. That’s what excites me.”

My Story

I have gained invaluable insights from games that have expanded my previously inconceivable thinking skills.

Games challenge me to view situations from different perspectives. I particularly enjoy witnessing the character development as the storyline unfolds. It is especially learning in RPGs with their engaging side quests and missions.

Gaming has honed my cognitive abilities as well as enhanced my real-life persona. I greatly admire Hermione Granger as a paragon of intellect. When I encounter challenges, I often ask myself what she would do. After careful consideration, I always arrive at a solution.

Duolingo used a similar strategy to improve language learning among the learners. Their team has mentioned this on their Duolingo Blog.

Conclusion

I have experienced both sides. To this date, I truly enjoy both gamification and gaming. I play games not only for entertainment but for learning as well.

With this article, I aim to highlight the benefits of gaming and clarify the difference between gamification and gaming. I’ve experimented with my learning style. The result is that I learn 1000x faster through gaming.

Don’t abandon learning from games just because of gamification.