Gamification Science, Its History and Future: Definitions and a Research Agenda
Abstract
Background. Definitions of gamification tend to vary by person, both in industry and within academia. One particularly popular lay interpretation, introduced and popularized by Ian Bogost, and reiterated by Jan Klabbers, is that gamification is “bullshit” and “exploitationware.” They describe gamification as a marketing term or business practice invented to sell products rather than to represent a real and unique phenomenon relevant to a nascent game science. However, this view is an oversimplification, one which ignores a growing body of theory development and empirical research on gamification within a post-positivist epistemology. In fact, because gamification is so much more outcome-focused than general game design, current gamification research in many ways has a stronger footing in modern social science than much games research does. Aim. In this article, to address common misunderstandings like these, we describe the philosophical underpinnings of modern gamification research, define the relationship between games and gamification, define and situate gamification science as a subdiscipline of game science, and explicate a six-element framework of major concerns within gamification science: predictor constructs, criterion constructs, mediator constructs, moderator constructs, design processes, and research methods. This framework is also presented diagrammatically as a causal path model. Conclusion. Gamification science refers to the development of theories of gamification design and their empirical evaluation within a post-positivist epistemology. The goal of gamification scientist-practitioners should be to understand how to best meet organizational goals through the design of gamification interventions, drawing upon insights derived from both gamification science and games research more broadly.
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Specific game design elements were not used as search terms because gamification research lacks consistent terms, definitions, and taxonomies for game design elements.
“Specific game design elements were not used as search terms because gamification research lacks consistent terms, definitions, and taxonomies for game design elements and agreed upon lists of game design elements that claim to be exhaustive are lacking (see Landers et al. 2018;Sailer et al. 2017a).”
From The gamification of learning: a meta-analysis (2020) · cites this paper as Landers et al. 2018
The theory of gamified learning offers a suitable framework for constructing a comprehensive framework for gamification research.
“The theory of gamified learning offers a suitable framework for doing so (see Landers 2014;Landers et al. 2018).”
From The gamification of learning: a meta-analysis (2020) · cites this paper as Landers et al. 2018
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- Authors
- Landers, R. N., Auer, E. M., Collmus, A. B., & Armstrong, M. B.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Old Dominion University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Landers, Richard N.
- Venue
- Simulation & Gaming
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2018-05-21
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 315-337
- ISSN
- 1046-8781 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-826X
- OpenAlex
- W2803238191
- Cited by
- 388
- References
- 70
- Citations by year
- 2026: 35 · 2025: 51 · 2024: 51 · 2023: 82 · 2022: 55 · 2021: 47 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 16 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 55.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Simulation & Gaming (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Game Theory and Applications
- Keywords
- gamification, Ian Bogost, research framework, organizational goals
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