PixelMEDIA

This article on VentureBeat just caught my attention. It’s a great summary of a design approach called “funware,” which Dean Takahashi defines as:

applications with game-like mechanics and game-like behavior that really aren’t traditional video games.

He’s summed up a trend where social networks, business apps, and even some fairly utilitarian (read: dull) websites try to engage users with game-like mechanics. His examples come from both directions - games that liven up social networking sites like Facebook, and applications such as eBay that use points systems, competition and collection to reward and incent their users. The industry experts Takahashi speaks with see big rewards in the proliferation of mini-games, Facebook games, and game-like applications in our everyday lives.

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