“Gamification” is one of software design’s hottest buzzwords. The idea is to leverage the mechanics of video games–points, high scores, win streaks and leaderboards–to keep users engaged over a longer period of time.
TL;DR
- Gamification uses game mechanics like points to engage users, but experts say it needs more than just streaks.
- Lee Schuneman believes game mechanics can motivate students, especially with AI tutors addressing educator shortages.
- AI is being explored to preserve classic games and create unique NPCs with individual narratives in new titles.
- AI can enhance player experience by offering in-game assistance and enabling creative tools for players.
Lee Schuneman, who holds the position of chief product officer at the edtech company Efekta Education Group and previously worked as a game designer, believes that this perspective on how the video game sector can benefit other fields is overly basic.
“Gamification tends to manifest itself as high score streaks,” Schuneman said Tuesday at Coins2Day’s Brainstorm Design conference in Macau. “All of these things are meaningful for certain social media products, but at the end of the day, if you’re there to learn, you have to put in the time and effort.”
Prior to joining Efekta, Schuneman dedicated numerous years to the UK video game developer Rare, where he contributed to titles such as Diddy Kong Racing from 1997 and Star Fox Adventure released in 2002.
Currently, while he advises companies against adopting basic forms of gamification, he also argues that game mechanics offer valuable insights for learning.
“[The key is] to keep you in the learning experience—the same as keeping you in a gaming experience—and find ways to keep you motivated as a student,” he said.
Schuneman stated he's currently investigating methods to incorporate agentic AI into Efekta's educational offerings and “blending it with different gaming elements” to maintain student involvement. He mentioned that a “huge shortage” of English and STEM educators in the regions referred to as the Global South signifies a substantial demand for AI tutors.
Efekta has rolled out its AI learning assistant to 4 million students across Latin America.
‘The future of play’
Other panelists shared how the gaming industry was exploring the use of AI.
AI can “spark imagination about the future of play,” said Haiyan Zhang, the general manager and partner of gaming AI at Xbox. “Creators across the world [need] to think about what new things that they can do with gaming through the use of AI, and I think that will really help us drive this new capability.”
Zhang cited a hypothetical example: game preservation.
To expose classic arcade titles such as Pac-Man, Dig Dug, or Q*bert to fresh demographics, creators must capture the core of each game and develop novel gameplay.
“There is now capability for AI to learn the back catalog of games, to allow new generations to experience these games in new ways,” Zhang said.
Beta Liu, who heads AI at NetEase Games, explained how the Chinese firm is implementing the novel technology within one of its premier titles: Sword of Justice. This MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) focuses on wuxia, a category of Chinese literature featuring martial artists from Historical China.
The game's distinctive feature is its AI engine, which generates numerous non-player characters (NPCs) possessing individual narratives and traits. These NPCs don't merely dole out tasks; they retain a record of player choices and respond to them subsequently.
Since its introduction in China during 2023, the game, which is situated in the latter part of the Northern Song Dynasty and utilizes DeepSeek's underlying technology, has attracted a multitude of players. On November 7th, NetEase made Sword of Justice available in international markets.
“AI is not only a tech buzzword, but also [powers] their [players’] companion and their creation tools in our game,” clarified Liu. For instance, he pointed out, participants have the ability to animate their avatars to mimic prevalent social media fads, such as choreographed routines or China's well-known short-form dramas.
Ultimately, game designers hope that AI will help “elevate the player experience,” said Zhang of Xbox.
Two months prior, Xbox launched an AI assistant for mobile and PC. Gamers can activate it during play to inquire about strategies for defeating a boss or to discover available quests.
“That might seem like a super simple idea, but I think it really brings gaming to life, and [encapsulates] what gaming is about,” she added. “We want to make gaming even more fun, [and] even more exciting.”
