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Special Issues
Next-Generation Applications and Implementations of Gamification Systems
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Next-Generation Applications and Implementations of Gamification Systems

A special issue of Information (ISSN 2078-2489). This special issue belongs to the section "Internet of Things (IoT)".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 2042

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jakub Swacha

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of IT in Management, University of Szczecin, 71-101 Szczecin, Poland
Interests: gamification; information systems for education; e-learning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Ricardo Queirós

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Informatics, Media Arts and Design School, Polytechnic of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Interests: e-learning interoperability; computer programming education; gamification
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gamification has already been adopted in many fields as a powerful tool to stimulate individuals to motivate themselves and achieve certain objectives. This Special Issue is devoted to gamification research and its next-generation applications and implementations. From education to healthcare and from business to personal development, gamification is rapidly evolving, with innovative solutions using mixed reality to Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative adversarial networks (GANs), Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain and more.

We hope that this Special Issue will encourage scholars, industry professionals and policymakers alike to use gamifying approaches to create purposeful experiences that have positive impacts on various areas of human activity.

Potential topics include, but are not restricted to, the following:

  • AI-powered gamification.
  • Best practices for the design of gamified UI.
  • Big data and gamification.
  • Biometric sensors and emotional gamification.
  • Blockchain in gamification.
  • Conceptual and technical frameworks for implementing gamification in the cloud.
  • The ethical and social implications of gamification.
  • IoT devices and gamified experiences.
  • Gamification as a service.
  • Gamification for learning and education.
  • Generative algorithms and dynamic content generation for gamification applications.
  • Multiplayer and social gamification.
  • Health and wellness gamification.
  • Mixed-reality gamification approaches.
  • Models and architectures for gamified cloud-based systems.
  • New concepts and techniques in gamification design.
  • Open-source gamification tools and libraries.
  • Player behavior modeling.
  • Procedures for testing gamification.
  • Standardization of gamification-related data.

Dr. Jakub Swacha
Prof. Dr. Ricardo Queirós
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Information is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gamified software systems
  • artificial intelligence
  • dynamic content generation
  • Internet of Things

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 4154 KiB  
Article
Synthetic User Generation in Games: Cloning Player Behavior with Transformer Models
by Alfredo Chapa Mata, Hisa Nimi and Juan Carlos Chacón
Information 2025, 16(4), 329; https://doi.org/10.3390/info16040329 - 21 Apr 2025
Viewed by 291
Abstract
User-centered design (UCD) commonly requires direct player participation, yet budget limitations or restricted access to users can impede this goal. To address these challenges, this research explores a transformer-based approach coupled with a diffusion process to replicate real player behavior in a 2D [...] Read more.
User-centered design (UCD) commonly requires direct player participation, yet budget limitations or restricted access to users can impede this goal. To address these challenges, this research explores a transformer-based approach coupled with a diffusion process to replicate real player behavior in a 2D side-scrolling action–adventure environment that emphasizes exploration. By collecting an extensive set of gameplay data from real participants in an open-source game, “A Robot Named Fight!”, this study gathered comprehensive state and input information for training. A transformer model was then adapted to generate button-press sequences from encoded game states, while the diffusion mechanism iteratively introduced and removed noise to refine its predictions. The results indicate a high degree of replication of the participant’s actions in contexts similar to the training data, as well as reasonable adaptation to previously unseen scenarios. Observational analysis further confirmed that the model mirrored essential aspects of the user’s style, including navigation strategies, the avoidance of unnecessary combat, and selective obstacle clearance. Despite hardware constraints and reliance on a single observer’s feedback, these findings suggest that a transformer–diffusion methodology can robustly approximate user behavior. This approach holds promise not only for automated playtesting and level design assistance in similar action–adventure games but also for broader domains where simulating user interaction can streamline iterative design and enhance player-centric outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Next-Generation Applications and Implementations of Gamification Systems)
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23 pages, 1900 KiB  
Article
Video Games That Educate: Breaking Gender Stereotypes and Promoting Gender Equality with a Serious Video Game
by Alma Gloria Barrera Yañez, Cristina Alonso-Fernández and Baltasar Fernández-Manjón
Information 2025, 16(3), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/info16030199 - 4 Mar 2025
Viewed by 730
Abstract
By incorporating elements such as storytelling, problem-solving, and rewards, serious games can appeal to varied users, making the learning process more experiential, engaging, and enjoyable. Gender stereotyping is a prevalent social problem that occurs to a greater or lesser extent in all countries [...] Read more.
By incorporating elements such as storytelling, problem-solving, and rewards, serious games can appeal to varied users, making the learning process more experiential, engaging, and enjoyable. Gender stereotyping is a prevalent social problem that occurs to a greater or lesser extent in all countries and cultures around the world. However, it is more present in certain places like Latin American countries. This study presents the evaluation of Kiddo, a serious game to raise awareness about gender stereotypes among school-aged children (10–13 years old). After its validation with teachers, this evaluation study was carried out with 210 students in a public school in Mexico. By conducting a pre-post experiment while collecting game learning analytics data, we explore how Kiddo can raise students’ awareness of gender stereotypes. Results show a statistically significant increase in awareness of all gender stereotypes addressed in the game. In addition, we explore the acceptance of the video game, the feelings that it causes in players, and the validity of its design as an educational tool including requirements such as class duration and participants’ reading ability. Kiddo provides a valuable real-world experience in a safe and controlled environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Next-Generation Applications and Implementations of Gamification Systems)
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