Even as we explore ways to apply game mechanics principles to non-game products and experiences - see social innovation game Urgent Evoke, hot location based service FourSquare, software training game Office Ribbon Hero, and white label game mechanics platforms Bunchball and Big Door Media - people are beginning to question the premise that adding points, leader boards, levels, and badges always improves user experience.
Sebastian Deterding (@dingstweets) thinks that the bigger design challenge here is not "how to include game mechanics", but "how to create a playful context" that recognizes that gameplay is a voluntary activity, done at leisure, during free time, without serious consequences.
Pascal Rettig (@cykod) argues that we are confusing game mechanics, which is really about gameplay, with "the meta-mechanics that surround the game built to induce behavior inside the game". So, you should focus your efforts "on making the core of whatever system you are building more game-like (put simply, fun) and not just toss a thin-veneer of simple game mechanics around the outside."
Brand Hargreaves (@bhargreaves) agrees that you should "start with the basic principles of psychology and game design and build them into your product at a fundamental level. Otherwise, it's just an elaborate ritual that mimics the process but fails to understand the underlying truths."
I agree that the meaningfulness of the core service and the playfulness of the gameplay itself are more important than the game mechanics. However, like activity streams are here to stay (thanks to Facebook), game mechanics are here to stay (thanks to Zynga).
So, apart from the question I have asked before - how can you design a social network around a single feature? - we need to ask two more questions -
1. How can you design activity stream that are different from Facebook/ Twitter?
2. How can you design game mechanics that are different from Farmville/ Foursquare?
Even as we think about these questions, I expect almost every single service to incorporate game mechanics in some form, like every single service now incorporates activity streams in some form.
What do you think? Which products and services are pushing the envelope in improving user experience by integrating game mechanics into their design? Which white label game mechanics platforms are finding the most innovative ways to enable such integration? What are the most compelling arguments against integrating game mechanics into non-game contexts? What are the emerging best practices and case studies? Do share your insights in the comments below.