The gamification of online games has been happening for years, and this has evolved as brands try to incorporate new ideas and technology into their offerings. With more people spending time online, there is a pool of opportunities for game owners to leverage and acquire more customers. However, understanding how this helps in attracting new players is a question on a lot of minds.
In this article, we will be shining a beam on the gamification of online games and also how it has been helping attract new players. We would also talk about how GTA 5 has leveraged this. For those who want to enjoy the game, please check out the GTA 5 Diamond Casino heist guide on CasinoUSA for more insight.
Understanding Gamification
The world is fast-paced, and people have acquired a short attention span due to the tidbits of the content we consume. We have become more accustomed to things that can keep our interest, and this is something that most organizations are leveraging upon.
When it comes to games, keeping players interested and excited to spend more time playing and thereby spending more is something that owners understand. This prompted the usage of gamification to keep their players engaged and wanting to come back for more. By giving the players the idea that there are certain benefits to be achieved, more players now pursue the idea of being the ones to win these rewards and bonuses. It’s more like a carrot-stick-donkey situation.
The Role of Gamification in Attracting New Players
While gamification has now become a part of the online gaming sphere, here is how it is helping to attract new players.
- Increased Engagement
Brands that have thrived in the game business have always leveraged gamification, and this is due to the benefits it brings to them and how it gets players engaged. Sure, the game on offering itself might be milking the players of their time, but the fact that there are rewards to be won makes it worthwhile.
We see this in the introduction of leaderboards and rewards to the top players, which pushes others to reach the revered position. Most games even add time-limited challenges and thereby task players to achieve certain feats before the clock runs out. This builds a whole environment for competition and the camaraderie that spurs players to keep going.
- Increased Loyalty
Loyalty is the mantle that keeps any business running, and this is the same for games. We see this even in the standard ways that games reward players with lots of promotions and loyalty reward programs. This has been a common feature, but when coupled with gamification, it takes a whole new direction.
As mentioned earlier, gamification engages the players, but then making them loyal, regardless of the strain of having to get rewards, is key. Brands understand this, and they now reward active participation even for those who can’t top leaderboards or win prizes.
Regular visitors are usually the top benefits of this reward system, as points are given for the number of people who log in to the game. The points they accrue during this time also affect their level or reputation, making them want to return for more.
- Improved User Experience
User experience is king, and this is seen in how players enjoy their time while using a service. In this case, a game that utilizes gamification also, in a way, improves its user experience and gives the players something to look forward to when they log on.
This is key, as a laggy or non-engaging experience would have an effect on the user experience and force them to look for similar opportunities on other platforms. This is why seamless gamification, interactive experience and game modes keep the user engaged, boosting their overall gameplay experience and ensuring retention.
- Gamification Ideas that Made Sense
Since gamification became a thing in the gaming world, one way it has been adequately used with a huge result comes from the game, GTA V. This strategy was introduced with their Diamond Heist Update and saw online players get hooked to this new thing. The idea was to pit teams of players against each as they all compete to complete a diamond heist where they all try to make so much money.
Since money is a valuable tender in the game, having a share of the largesse gives the players a chance. To be able to even partake in this heist, players need to form a team to plan, strategize and execute a successful heist. Each heist needs five players to undertake this, and this builds up a type of camaraderie. This move has brought more players into the GTA online franchise, which is an offshoot of the initial game. Now with over 160,000 players active every day, the idea of gamifying the game has been highly successful and brought the title more renown.
Conclusion
We have looked at the gamification of online games and how it helps attract and retain players. This strategy has been utilized by many games and gaming developers in recent years, and the results are evident. From using rewards to providing players with an engaging user experience, the gaming industry can now easily retain players utilizing this innovation.
