There’s a long standing debate within the gamification community, if such a thing actually exists, on what can and cannot be considered gamification. The purists will tell you that gamification is the addition of gaming mechanics and/or dynamics into a structure, i.e. a website, campaign, or application, without explicitly adding a game, like Pong or Angry Birds, to the construct. However, those of us that like to see a little more play in that definition highly approve of what’s demonstrated below. You’ll notice in this video a very literal addition of a game (Pong) to traffic lights, however, the beauty of this example of gamification is it engages people on a level that transcends the game, it takes people out of a mundane moment and connects two random people. I think the high-five at the end really drives home why this is brilliant gamification. Enjoy!
German traffic lights are doing it right (Video)
A very modern traffic light in central Germany that allows you to play a game of pong with someone on the other side of the street while waiting for the light to change. An amazing invention and experiment in social interaction.
