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Cited by 13Educational Games and GamificationDigital Marketing and Social MediaDigital Games and Media

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 13 of the 13 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The Business Value of Gamification

Open access
Jacobides, Michael G., Ma, M. Dalbert, Trantopoulos, Konstantinos, Vassalos, Vasilis·2024·California Management Review
DOI 10.1177/00081256231218469
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Abstract

This article analyzes the connection between gamification and business success, focusing on customer retention, new customer acquisition, and transforming user perceptions. Based on a qualitative comparative analysis of 40 high-profile gamification projects, it shows that a combination of three key features—virtualization, social comparison, and tangible rewards—explain the various pathways to success. Each pathway requires the presence—and sometimes absence—of different design features, and firms do best when they focus on one or two objectives rather than all three at once. The article presents a framework for designing and implementing gamification more strategically and effectively, noting the ethical questions that arise.

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1177/00081256231218469

Cites

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  • The study provides experimental evidence necessary for establishing causal relationships between virtualisation, engagement, and monetisation.

    “The significantly higher conversion rates support Jacobides et al.'s (2024) identification of retention as a central pathway for gamification value creation, while providing the experimental evidence they identify as necessary for establishing causal relationships between virtualisation, engagement, and monetisation.”

    From An Experimental Analysis of Gamification’s Impact on Customer Engagement and Retention in Subscription-Based Business Models (2026) · cites this paper as Jacobides et al.'s (2024)

    The Findings and customer-retention passages identify retention as a strategic objective and virtualization as one pathway to it. But the paper’s discussion of future research calls for a fuzzy-set QCA measuring the extent of virtualization; it does not identify experimental evidence as necessary to establish causal relationships between virtualization, engagement, and monetization. No page numbers are available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Retention is a central pathway for gamification value creation.

    “The significantly higher conversion rates support Jacobides et al.'s (2024) identification of retention as a central pathway for gamification value creation, while providing the experimental evidence they identify as necessary for establishing causal relationships between virtualisation, engagement, and monetisation.”

    From An Experimental Analysis of Gamification’s Impact on Customer Engagement and Retention in Subscription-Based Business Models (2026) · cites this paper as Jacobides et al.'s (2024)

    The Findings and Objective 1: Customer Retention sections (pages not provided) identify customer retention as a strategic objective through which gamification creates value. The cited paper does not identify experimental evidence as necessary to establish causal relationships between virtualisation, engagement, and monetisation; its Data and Methods section instead describes a qualitative comparative analysis. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Conversion rates were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group.

    “The significantly higher conversion rates support Jacobides et al.'s (2024) identification of retention as a central pathway for gamification value creation, while providing the experimental evidence they identify as necessary for establishing causal relationships between virtualisation, engagement, and monetisation.”

    From An Experimental Analysis of Gamification’s Impact on Customer Engagement and Retention in Subscription-Based Business Models (2026) · cites this paper as Jacobides et al.'s (2024)

    The Findings section identifies customer retention as one of three strategic objectives reached through gamification pathways, and the Customer Retention discussion describes virtualization as one such pathway. But the paper's Data and Methods section describes a qualitative comparative analysis, not a call for experimental evidence to establish causal relationships between virtualization, engagement, and monetization. The higher experimental-group conversion rate is presented as the citing authors' result, not Jacobides et al.'s. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Jacobides et al. (2024) analysis of 40 gamification projects identifies validated pathways through which gamified systems facilitate customer acquisition.

    “Jacobides et al. (2024), in their analysis of 40 gamification projects, identify validated pathways through which gamified systems facilitate customer acquisition”

    From An Experimental Analysis of Gamification’s Impact on Customer Engagement and Retention in Subscription-Based Business Models (2026) · cites this paper as Jacobides et al. (2024)

  • Jacobides et al. (2024) identify retention as a central pathway through which gamification creates value, emphasising the role of virtualisation, social comparison, and reward structures in sustaining user participation.

    “Jacobides et al. (2024) identify retention as a central pathway through which gamification creates value, emphasising the role of virtualisation, social comparison, and reward structures in sustaining user participation.”

    From An Experimental Analysis of Gamification’s Impact on Customer Engagement and Retention in Subscription-Based Business Models (2026) · cites this paper as Jacobides et al. (2024)

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Citations

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. The Octalysis framework by Yu-Kai Chou is arguably the best-known practical frame- work for designing gamification initiatives and was useful in our review of the literature on game elements. It is important to note, however, that this framework does not con- sider metrics beyond intermediate goals and is also based more on anecdotal methodology.
  2. C. Ragin, The Comparative Method: Moving Beyond Qualitative and Quantitative Strategies, 2nd ed. (Oakland, CA: University of California Press, 1987);
  3. On August 2nd, 2023, China's National Press and Publication Administration revised their 2019 restrictions on children's mobile usage. Now, children under 8 can use phones for a maximum of 40 minutes, those aged 8-16 for up to an hour, and 16-18-year-olds for up to

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Metadata

Authors
Jacobides, M. G., Ma, M. D., Trantopoulos, K., & Vassalos, V.
Affiliations
  • London Business School (GB)
  • London Business School, London, UK
  • International Institute for Management Development (CH)
  • Athens University of Economics and Business (GR)
ORCID
Jacobides, Michael G.
Venue
California Management Review
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2024-01-10
Volume
66
Issue
2
Pages
91-107
ISSN
  • 0008-1256 (ISSN-L)
  • 2162-8564
DOI
10.1177/00081256231218469
OpenAlex
W4390742211
Cited by
12
References
13
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4
FWCI
9.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • California Management Review (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • London Business School Research Online (London Business School) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Digital Marketing and Social Media
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
Keywords
gamification, business value, customer retention, customer acquisition, user perception, virtualization, social comparison, tangible rewards, gamification design, strategy implementation

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