I've been doing a bit of research into gamification in loyalty in preparation for a workshop i've been asked to deliver, i live in the UAE but would love a more global view.
The more I look at it, the more I think the loyalty industry has fundamentally misunderstood what gamification actually is.
They've bolted on the mechanics (points, badges, tiers, streaks) while missing the thing that makes games actually work: the possibility of a fair and satisfying win, rewards that feel worth playing for, and status that means something beyond a number on an app.
My 13-year-old will grind a Fortnite challenge for hours to unlock a cosmetic item with zero monetary value, because "everyone will see it and know he did it." That's status. That's identity. That's the emotional driver loyalty programmes spend millions trying to manufacture.
Meanwhile the average loyalty scheme sends a member a points expiry warning as he fails to reach a tier that was only ever achievable for travelling professional.
The generation growing up inside these gaming economies is going to find most loyalty programmes laughably unsophisticated. And I don't think the industry is moving fast enough to catch up.
**Genuinely curious whether people agree or think I'm wrong.** Especially interested in:
- Whether you actually feel anything when you engage with a loyalty programme
- Whether you think gamification in loyalty is done well anywhere
- What a loyalty programme would need to do to actually feel worth your time
Really interested in opinions and just trying to stress-test an argument and would rather be challenged than agreed with.