Gamification: An emerging trend

This study presents the results of an archival analysis which highlights that gamification is an emerging research trend. The archival analysis (conducted for the period 2008-2015) of the gamification literature published in top tier research outlets resulted in the retrieval of 99 articles, of which only 35 were relevant. This study identifies (i) the common themes, (ii) the context explored, and (iii) the gamification element examined. We observe that most research was conducted in the educational and organizational context. The periodic analysis of publications indicates a growing interest in this research domain. Overwhelmingly the results from this archival analysis highlights that research on gamification is at its infancy. Therefore the need and opportunity to investigate this phenomenon is of profound importance