My life changed when I unwrapped a Nintendo 64 on Christmas morning in 1997. Little did I know that this gift would initiate me into a culture I still identify with as an adult—the world of video gaming.

Video games, with their ability to transport us to different worlds and offer a sense of mastery, have always held a special place in my heart. The thrill of learning the intricacies of jumping in Super Mario 64 and flying in Star Fox 64 was an immersive experience that solidified my belief in the power of games to motivate and influence behavior.

Games have always been more than just a form of entertainment. They serve as a platform for humans to train and socialize in controlled settings. A real fight could be life or death, but a sparring match or a game of football hones the same skills without the high stakes, rewarding proficiency with prestige and identity. This emotional weight makes games engaging and effective as social and motivational experiences.

As we've become more aware of the power of games, we've started designing our reality in game-like ways, a practice often called gamification in product design. A recent project of mine, HighRewards, uses gamification to great effect. HighRewards is an app that rewards users for purchases at cannabis retail locations. Players collect points that increase their rank and can be used in a gift card marketplace.

The game within HighRewards turns shopping into a game of tastemaking and curation. Customers can prove how many products they've tried and earn points for doing so. This transforms cannabis shopping into a game of power, influence, and mastery, both through the app's ranking system and the status gained from earning and redeeming goods from gift cards.

When customers are mindful of the game they are playing, it becomes a win-win situation for both them and the business. Businesses gain additional influence by controlling the game's rules and guiding customers to different products through point awards. They gain loyal, engaged customers, and customers become influential tastemakers within their social groups.

Effective game design transports us to a reality where we achieve prestige, identity, and mastery within the game's context and rules. This is as true for Nintendo 64 games as it is for football. Digital experiences that seamlessly create game-like experiences out of everyday activities, like HighRewards achieves for cannabis retail, can achieve a magical win-win for businesses and customers, turning life into a game.

My life changed when I unwrapped a Nintendo 64 on Christmas morning in 1997. Little did I know that this gift would initiate me into a culture I still identify with as an adult—the world of video gaming.

Video games, with their ability to transport us to different worlds and offer a sense of mastery, have always held a special place in my heart. The thrill of learning the intricacies of jumping in Super Mario 64 and flying in Star Fox 64 was an immersive experience that solidified my belief in the power of games to motivate and influence behavior.

Games have always been more than just a form of entertainment. They serve as a platform for humans to train and socialize in controlled settings. A real fight could be life or death, but a sparring match or a game of football hones the same skills without the high stakes, rewarding proficiency with prestige and identity. This emotional weight makes games engaging and effective as social and motivational experiences.

As we've become more aware of the power of games, we've started designing our reality in game-like ways, a practice often called gamification in product design. A recent project of mine, HighRewards, uses gamification to great effect. HighRewards is an app that rewards users for purchases at cannabis retail locations. Players collect points that increase their rank and can be used in a gift card marketplace.

The game within HighRewards turns shopping into a game of tastemaking and curation. Customers can prove how many products they've tried and earn points for doing so. This transforms cannabis shopping into a game of power, influence, and mastery, both through the app's ranking system and the status gained from earning and redeeming goods from gift cards.

When customers are mindful of the game they are playing, it becomes a win-win situation for both them and the business. Businesses gain additional influence by controlling the game's rules and guiding customers to different products through point awards. They gain loyal, engaged customers, and customers become influential tastemakers within their social groups.

Effective game design transports us to a reality where we achieve prestige, identity, and mastery within the game's context and rules. This is as true for Nintendo 64 games as it is for football. Digital experiences that seamlessly create game-like experiences out of everyday activities, like HighRewards achieves for cannabis retail, can achieve a magical win-win for businesses and customers, turning life into a game.