Gamification and the Boundaries of Play

Abstract

The contribution investigates the understanding of gamification, generally considered as “the use of game design elements in non-game context” (Deterding et alii 2011). The paper provides a preliminary criticism of the several issues in the gamification debate, then proceed to compare the main definitions of gamification, and consequently to propose a perspective on the phenomenon grounded on the understanding of the meaning-making dynamics of the boundaries of Play. In the following paragraphs, the contribution first disentangle the many issues and understandings connected to the boundaries of Play in game studies, identyfing three interacting layers of thresholds connected to the phenomenon of Play. Subsequently, it proceed to analyse four case studies of gamification, by observing the way in which traditional game boundaries are modified, subverted or replicated in the gamification design, and how this contribute to the expected design of the system.