Today, gamified experiences make use of the many technological advances that have been widely adopted in recent years, and offer players the opportunity to enjoy the game on a range of platforms including mobile phones, desktop computers, and real-world team interactions. The article titled ‘From Fitbit to Fitocracy: The Rise of Health Care Gamification’, The healthcare industry, in particular, has been at the centre of many gamification initiatives as a range of stakeholders—from governmental agencies to application developers, to insurance companies—recognised the potential for games to motivate long-term behaviour changes in players, potentially motivating them to make lifestyle changes that improve their health (and lower healthcare costs for easily preventable conditions). These games appeal to users because they provide rewards—in a multitude of forms—to players just for playing, which is an essential component of psychological cycle associated with games.
The oldest documented game, Mancala, dates greece tel code back to Egypt in the fifteenth to eleventh centuries, but according to game expert and proponent of gamification Jane McGonigal, Herodotus (of Ancient Greece), was the first to report on the cultural significance of game-playing in society and the psychological value inherent in the act of playing.
Spent, one of the most successful non-profit games to-date raised 700 new donations within four days of launching
One of the most successful non-profit games to-date has instead been geared towards helping players escape from a world of relative comfort into a world of comparative hardship, and the success of that game is indicative of the power of games as a tool for inspiring behavioural changes or attitudinal shifts. Spent, a simple social game that sought to, on some level, gamify the elicitation of empathy and the process of charitable giving, was produced pro bono for the Urban Ministries of Durham by the McKinney ad agency. In order to win, players must “survive” for a month on a tight budget, while making the same types of decisions that many families on the verge of homelessness are faced with every day. These decisions were based on the real-life situations that homeless families and individuals had faced, which created a heightened sense of drama for the players because they knew that in the real world, the consequences of a wrong choice would be profound and potentially life changing. The game structure encourages interactivity because players are allowed to “borrow money” through a social platform. It also leverages the drama of the narrative to create an immediate positive outcome: after completing the game, players have an opportunity to donate to the Urban Ministries of Durham’s efforts to help the homeless.