The 10 Core Drives of Gamification & How to Utilize Them Responsibly

Midjourney’s interpretation of a gamified dashboard 🤖

UPDATE: I created a virtual workshop to go along with this post. You can simply copy the Miro template and run a brainstorming session with your team.

I’m tired of feeling emotionally manipulated by everyone — corporations, politicians, nonprofits, you name it. As a design leader, I feel it’s my duty to help find better solutions. That’s why I’m continuing my series of posts about ethics in tech, specifically focusing on gamification this time.

If you’re in tech, you’ve probably heard the term gamification more times than you care to admit. It’s trendy, maybe a bit overhyped, but when done right, it’s incredibly effective. It really digs into our core desires for achievement, for connection, even just finding meaning. But it can be twisted. On the one hand, you’ve got this incredible tool. Like, you can use it for learning, for motivation, even for positive social change. But on the flip side, it can be used to manipulate us, often without us even realizing it.

So let’s dive into the 10 core drives of gamification and how to use them responsibly.

Core Drive 1: Epic Meaning & Purpose

Empower users by connecting their actions to a larger vision.

Prompt: a diverse team of digital builders constructing a towering, holographic monument that represents a united global effort.

Summary:

This drive is about making users feel they are contributing to something larger than themselves. Whether through a mission, cause, or community goal, people are motivated when they believe their actions have a meaningful impact on the world.

Examples:

• Crowdsourced Innovation Challenge: Users contribute solutions to a global problem. (e.g., Wikipedia, where individuals collaborate to preserve and expand human knowledge for future generations.)
• Open-source Contributions: Users shape and build tools for a greater cause. (e.g., Linux, where developers contribute code to improve a free, open-source operating system used globally.)
• Charity Integration: Milestones unlock donations to charitable causes. (e.g., Fitbit challenges where user activity helps unlock donations to various health-related causes.)
• Global Collaboration Campaign: Cross-geography teamwork solving pressing tech issues. (e.g., Mozilla’s global campaign to create a more open and accessible internet for all.)
• Mission-based Storyline: Users engage with a narrative tied to a larger, impactful mission. (e.g., Duolingo’s mission to make education free and accessible globally through language learning.)

How to use responsibly:
Avoid faking it. Users can smell inauthenticity from a mile away. If you’re tying your product to a larger mission, make sure it’s genuine and aligned with your company’s values. Avoid using charity or social causes as a marketing ploy without actually contributing in a meaningful way. Nothing turns people off faster than a hollow claim to “change the world” that doesn’t back it up with real action.

Core Drive 2: Development & Achievement

Fuel motivation with measurable growth and tangible success.

Prompt: a futuristic interface displaying a glowing ranking leaderboard

Summary:

This drive taps into the human desire for growth, progress, and mastery. Users are motivated by accomplishing goals, overcoming challenges, and gaining new skills. The process should be challenging but rewarding to keep users engaged.

Examples:

• Skill Tree Progression: Visual skill tree with incremental achievements. (e.g., GitHub achievements where developers can visualize their skill progression.)
• Timed Challenges: Competing against the clock for mastery. (e.g., Codewars offers timed coding challenges where users race to solve problems.)
• Certification Badges: Earning badges or certificates for completing modules. (e.g., Coursera’s certifications that demonstrate mastery of a subject.)
• Mentorship Milestones: Helping others achieve personal goals. (e.g., LinkedIn’s Mentor feature that allows users to guide others in their career path.)
• Goal-setting & Tracking: Users set personal goals, tracking their achievements. (e.g., Habitica, where users set and track personal goals through gamified systems.)

How to use responsibly:
Avoid making progress feel like a grind. It’s tempting to throw endless achievements and badges at users, but if the goals feel unreachable or like meaningless busywork, users will burn out. Also, avoid manipulating people into unhealthy habits, like pushing users to stay up all night for a badge. Make sure your challenges are fair and actually reward real growth, not just time spent.

Core Drive 3: Creativity & Feedback

Unleash user potential through creative freedom and responsive guidance.

Prompt: an artist creating art on digital canvases, creating and refining their ideas with glowing tools.

Summary:

This drive encourages users to express themselves creatively and receive feedback on their efforts. People are motivated when they can design, build, or modify their experiences, especially if they receive validation or guidance.

Examples:

• User-generated Content Competitions: Community votes on user-submitted creations. (e.g., DeviantArt’s artist challenges where users submit creative work for prizes.)
• Dynamic Dashboard Customization: Personalized dashboards adapting to user workflows. (e.g., Trello’s customizable boards tailored to personal and team projects.)
• Collaborative Workspaces: Co-creating projects with instant feedback loops. (e.g., Google Docs or Miro, where teams collaborate in real-time on shared projects.)
• Experimental Mode: Users shape product features, influencing the final design. (e.g., Beta testing programs where users directly impact the product design through feedback.)

How to use responsibly:
Avoid stifling creativity with too many rules or unrealistic expectations. If you ask for creative input, be prepared to give genuine feedback and respect user contributions. Avoid turning this into a data grab or making users feel like their efforts are only there to serve the product rather than the creative process.

Core Drive 4: Ownership & Possession

Deepen engagement by fostering personal investment in the experience.

Prompt: a futuristic safe open with digital gold spilling out of it, treasures everywhere.

Summary:

This drive focuses on giving users a sense of ownership, whether over digital resources, personal rewards, or customizable elements. People are more invested when they feel like something belongs to them.

Examples:

• Profile Customization: Users personalize their profiles with unique avatars and themes. (e.g., Slack’s custom profile themes and avatars.)
• Resource Management System: Accumulating resources to unlock features. (e.g., Steam’s trading cards and inventory system where users collect items.)
• Custom-built Workflows: Users design and manage custom processes. (e.g., Notion, where users create personalized workflows and databases.)
• Digital Asset Ownership: Collecting and upgrading digital tools or tokens. (e.g., Fortnite skins and in-game item purchases that users collect.)
• Achievement Gallery: Displaying achievements in a personal virtual gallery. (e.g., Xbox’s achievement system where players showcase unlocked awards.)

How to use responsibly:
Avoid tricking users into thinking they own something they don’t. If you’re offering digital items or collectibles, be clear about what’s truly owned and what’s just a license that can vanish. Don’t use digital ownership as a way to nickel-and-dime users with microtransactions or lock essential features behind paywalls. Make ownership feel meaningful, not manipulative.

Core Drive 5: Social Influence & Connection

Leverage social dynamics to enhance collaboration and recognition.

Prompt: a group of digital avatars working together to push a boulder up a hill, each glowing thread

Summary:

This drive leverages the power of social interaction, including competition, collaboration, and peer recognition. Users are motivated by how others perceive and interact with them.

Examples:

• Peer-to-peer Challenges: Users challenge friends to complete tasks. (e.g., Fitbit’s leaderboard where users compete with friends on step counts.)
• Team-based Goals: Groups collaborate to achieve collective milestones. (e.g., GitHub collaborative projects where teams work together to build software.)
• Social Shout-outs: Public recognition of top performers. (e.g., Slack’s public #thanks channel where users can acknowledge coworkers.)
• Mentorship Network: Experienced users coach others to succeed. (e.g., LinkedIn’s mentor-mentee program to encourage professional development.)
• Collaborative Achievements: Teams unlock rewards through combined efforts. (e.g., Asana’s team goals where entire groups work to achieve project milestones.)

How to use responsibly:
Avoid turning social interactions into pressure. While it’s important to foster connection, avoid making users feel obligated to participate in social challenges or group activities if they prefer a more solo experience. Also, avoid creating environments where users feel judged or excluded based on their social status or follower count. Ethical social features should foster inclusivity and genuine collaboration, not create cliques or hierarchies.

Core Drive 6: Scarcity & Urgency

Drive action with exclusive opportunities and time-sensitive rewards.

Prompt: a group of futuristic avatars looking at a futuristic digital clock counting down as users rush to unlock glowing rewards.

Summary:

This drive plays on users’ fear of missing out by creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity. Whether it’s a time-limited offer or a rare opportunity, scarcity can motivate users to act quickly.

Examples:

• Limited-time Event Access: Exclusive event access with countdowns. (e.g., Eventbrite’s limited-seating webinars and live events.)
• Exclusive Beta Testing: Early access to new features for select users. (e.g., Google’s invite-only beta program for new apps.)
• Seasonal Challenges: Challenges that expire after a limited period. (e.g., Fortnite’s seasonal battle passes that offer exclusive content.)
• Countdown for Special Rewards: Rewards with a visible countdown timer. (e.g., Amazon’s limited-time deals that show countdowns for deals expiring.)
• One-time Offers: Rare offers that disappear after a short time. (e.g., Steam’s flash sales where games are discounted for limited hours.)

How to use responsibly:
Don’t use scarcity to cause anxiety or FOMO just for the sake of it. Flash sales and limited-time offers are fine, but don’t overdo it or make people feel manipulated into buying or participating. Ethical scarcity should make users feel excited, not panicked. And don’t create artificial scarcity just to drive engagement — if there’s always a “last chance” deal, it’s not really scarce.

Core Drive 7: Unpredictability & Curiosity

Spark excitement by keeping the journey full of surprises.

Prompt: futuristic casino, group of people wearing futuristic clothes

Summary:

This drive taps into the natural human desire for new experiences. Users are engaged by unpredictable outcomes, whether through random rewards or hidden content.

Examples:

• Surprise Daily Rewards: Random rewards revealed daily. (e.g., Duolingo’s daily streak rewards that offer new items.)
• Random Unlockables: Unlock different rewards after completing tasks. (e.g., Pokémon GO’s random encounters and items.)
• Mystery Challenges: Unveiling tasks that must be solved in a limited time. (e.g., Escape room games where users must solve puzzles in real-time.)
• Easter Eggs: Hidden secrets within the platform. (e.g., Google’s hidden Easter egg games like the T-Rex game on Chrome.)
• Spin-the-wheel Bonuses: Spinning a virtual wheel for surprise rewards. (e.g., The mobile game Clash Royale’s spinning wheel of rewards.)

How to use responsibly:
Don’t exploit curiosity with endless loot boxes or random rewards that feel more like gambling. This is a slippery slope that’s caused a lot of controversy in the gaming world. Keep it fun and surprising, but avoid making users spend money or excessive time just to chase unpredictable rewards. There’s a fine line between sparking curiosity and creating addictive behavior.

Core Drive 8: Avoidance & Loss Prevention

Keep users engaged by protecting progress and staving off setbacks.

Prompt: a futuristic display with a giant red warning error message with exclamation point

Summary:

This drive uses the fear of loss to keep users engaged. People are motivated to avoid losing progress, rewards, or opportunities, which can drive them to stay active and maintain their engagement.

Examples:

• Streak Challenges: Engage daily to maintain progress and rewards. (e.g., Snapchat’s streak feature that rewards users for daily messages.)
• Expiring Rewards: Rewards that vanish after a set time. (e.g., Fortnite’s limited-time skins that disappear after a season ends.)
• Progress Reset on Inactivity: Users risk losing progress if inactive. (e.g., Duolingo’s reminder to prevent users from losing language progress.)
• Time-limited Boosts: Boosts that must be used before they disappear. (e.g., Pokémon GO’s limited-time power-ups for faster progress.)
• Membership Perks: Perks that expire if engagement drops. (e.g., LinkedIn Premium offers perks that expire after inactivity.)

How to use responsibly:
Don’t use fear of loss to manipulate users into over-committing. If you’re constantly threatening users with lost progress or expired rewards, you risk creating stress instead of engagement. Avoid tactics that guilt-trip users into staying active or punish them harshly for taking breaks. A user’s engagement should be driven by positive motivation, not fear of losing everything.

Core Drive 9: Exploration & Discovery

Reward curiosity with new paths and hidden content to explore.

Prompt: a future person inside a black blank empty room looking through a standard doorway that opens into a vast future landscape

Summary:

This drive is fueled by curiosity and the desire to explore and discover new content, paths, or hidden features. Users are motivated by the thrill of uncovering the unknown and the excitement of being rewarded for their discoveries.

Examples:

• Procedurally Generated Worlds: Each playthrough offers new terrain or challenges. (e.g., No Man’s Sky)
• Branching Storylines: Different actions unlock different narratives. (e.g., The Witcher 3)
• Exploration Bonuses: Users gain rewards for discovering new content. (e.g., Google Earth badges)
• Interactive Maps: Users explore an interactive, evolving map that unlocks content or bonuses as they navigate (e.g., Pokémon GO’s AR map for catching Pokémon).
• Exploration Challenges: Users are encouraged to explore specific areas or sections to earn points or badges (e.g., Fitbit’s step challenges tied to exploring different places).
• Community Treasure Hunts: Encourage users to collaborate and solve puzzles to uncover hidden bonuses or features (e.g., Fortnite’s in-game events requiring teamwork).

How to use responsibly:
Don’t hide essential features or content behind paywalls in a way that feels exploitative. While it’s great to reward exploration, avoid creating a system where users feel they’re missing out unless they pay or spend excessive time searching. Make sure your hidden features are bonuses, not necessities, and keep the journey fun, not frustrating.

Core Drive 10: Challenge & Competition

Push users to test their skills and outshine the competition.

Prompt: prompt: closeup of two future people jousting, crowd cheering them

Summary:

This drive focuses on pushing users to test their abilities through challenges and competition with others. People are motivated by the desire to improve, outperform others, and gain recognition for their achievements.

Examples:

• Timed Competitions: Users race against the clock to complete tasks. (e.g., Codewars)
• Tournament Brackets: Progress through rounds to claim victory. (e.g., Fortnite tournaments)
• Ranked Modes: Climb the ranks in competitive modes. (e.g., Apex Legends ranked mode)
• High Scores: Users strive to beat the highest score. (e.g., Tetris)
• Daily or Weekly Challenges: Compete for the top spot in time-limited challenges. (e.g., Overwatch arcade mode)
• Versus Modes: Face off against others in direct competition. (e.g., Super Smash Bros.)

How to use responsibly:
Don’t make competition cutthroat or overwhelming. While a little friendly rivalry can push users to improve, overemphasizing competition can lead to frustration or feelings of inadequacy, especially for newer or less-skilled users. Avoid making your product feel like a constant battle where only the top performers thrive. Ethical competition should inspire users to challenge themselves while still allowing everyone to feel a sense of progress and accomplishment, even if they don’t come out on top.

Think of gamification like a good soundtrack — it sets the mood, but crank it too loud and it drowns everything else out. Don’t overdo it. The real trick is to make sure your users are having a good time, staying motivated, and feeling like they’re part of something worthwhile. With these 10 core drives, you’ve got a blueprint for turning any experience into something engaging, challenging, and — dare I say — fun. Just remember, people stick around when the game feels good, not when it’s a chore. So, craft an experience that feels worth the time, and your users will keep coming back for more.

…and remember, knowledge is power. The more you know about all of this, the better equipped you’ll be to navigate the digital world out there. Become discerning. Yes. Demand better. It’s not enough to just be, like, passive players in this game anymore. No, we have the power to shape the game itself. The future of gamification, it’s not just about points and badges. It’s bigger than that. It’s about designing technology that actually aligns with our values and enhances our lives in a meaningful way.

If you like this post, like and follow. Also, I’ve turned this into a brainstorming workshop that you can access here. If you’d like me to facilitate or help improve your gamification techniques, reach out! My website is www.matthewstephens.com. Thanks! 🤙