Gamification is All about fun: the Role of Incentive Type and Community Collaboration

As the transformation of various services into appealing game-like experiences is in its infancy, limited research exists in the area and in particular on the way each gamification design decision affects intended outcome. In the present study we investigate the impact of two game elements (incentive type and community collaboration) on user’s experienced fun during participation in a gamified service. Via an experiment (N=108), we examine the role of Incentive Type [Accomplish an achievement versus Receive discounted offer], as a motivator for participation, and Community Collaboration, as participation setting (individual pursuit of goals versus collaborative pursuit of goals), on experienced fun in the context of a gamified consumer service. The service is aimed at assisting consumers in their efforts to adopt an ecologically conscious consumer behaviour. Results indicate that the selection of community collaboration as a form of interaction presents significant difference in experienced fun during participation, whereas accomplishing an achievement opposed to receiving discounted price does not.