As frequent readers know, we have covered the trend of gamification on this blog and shared our doubts as to its long term impact/sustainbility absent smart markets. But, finally we have what we believe is a real “canary in the mine” moment for those championing gamification as the way forward.
Following close upon an interesting (and positive) article on the future of Facebook’s sustainability focus and the power of the open social graph to drive behavioral change as well as reports of OPower’s continued growth, we can merely point to falling revenues & consumer engagement at Zynga – the world’s leading provider of social games – and, courtesy of TechCrunch, read that the Facebook has, for the first time, allowed a gaming app on its platform that allows users to play with real money — not Facebook Credits – as signs that gamification may not be the panacea many folks have long espoused for conservation efforts.
After all, if these leading social gaming platforms can’t sustain engagement of their audiences with compelling real game content that does not revolve around the admittedly mundane world of electricity, water, etc. absent the use of real monetary incentives, how can we imagine that smiley faces, neighborhood “competitions”, or other low impact/social initiatives will be sustainable over the long run? In sum, if real games built by highly creative & fiercely competitive innovators such as Zynga and Facebook can’t be compelling without the allure of real money, how do utilities think that monthly statements showing energy usage compared to friends and national averages, providing energy efficiency tips and, down the road, “games” that make energy savings competitive will hold up over time as a motivator to change behavior?
For sure, social platforms have a role to play in education and motivation as it relates to conservation but – without the financial incentives that a smart market offers – their conservation oriented consume apps are likely to lose momentum just as the real games being built by innovative, cutting edge game developers out there seem to be experiencing. Given this trend, it seems likely that companies providing these sustainable social applications will see rapid growth in the short term but are equally apt to see a big drop off in user engagement & action as the “coolness” factor wears off and people go back to their busy lives.
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