Level Up Your Events with Gamification: How and Why to Dive In

There was a time when events were passive and consisted of speakers and listening sessions, but those days are long gone. Modern events are about the experience — engagement and interaction are the expectations these days.

One way to improve the level of engagement and create memorable and impactful experiences is by gamifying your event: applying game-like elements to nongame environments, specifically tailored for events. Elements like interactive challenges, leaderboards, and rewards help you turn conventional events into immersive, participant-driven experiences. 

If you’re looking for a way to level up your events, gamification is ideal for you. Here, we’re going to dive deeper into event gamification, all of the factors involved, and how CORT Events can partner with you in this transformation.

Gamifying events is about more than making sure attendees have fun. There are definite advantages to adding game elements throughout your events.

Adding game elements boosts engagement. Gamified activities can transform attendees from passive observers to active participants, bringing them off the sidelines and into the action. Gamifying elements of your event also facilitates networking, as games serve as an icebreaker, making it easier for attendees to connect more naturally.

You can also use gamification to enhance attendees’ understanding of event content and encourage learning. Gamified elements can help you drive behavioral outcomes by guiding attendees toward desired behaviors. For example, you can use a point system as an incentive to encourage attendees to visit multiple exhibition booths or participate in specific sessions, subtly driving them to meet certain event objectives.

Game elements allow you to create a memorable experience. If you create an event that’s truly engaging and exciting, your event will stand out, and attendees are likely to remember the excitement that stemmed from the competition. 

Last, but not least, enhanced engagement, networking, and learning can contribute to a more successful event. Thus, the event will achieve a higher return on investment as attendees get more value, which encourages increased future attendance.

The key to gamifying an event in a way that makes sense is to ensure the game elements enhance the event experience and don't detract from the primary objectives. It’s crucial to understand what you want to achieve, whether it’s driving engagement, facilitating networking, or enhancing learning, and catering gamified elements to those objectives. 

For example, if you’re looking to increase networking, include a "Networking Bingo" where attendees have to find other participants who match certain criteria and get them to initial each other’s bingo cards.

Choosing the right game mechanics makes your experiences work for your specific attendees. Points, leaderboards, quizzes, and challenges are just a few ways to gamify. For example, at a tech conference, you can develop an app-based quiz that tests attendees on content from different sessions and showcase those with the highest scores on a digital leaderboard.

Regular feedback can keep attendees motivated as they play while tangible or digital rewards can further boost participation. For example, at an art event, you can use augmented reality (AR) technology to have attendees scan art pieces to gather clues or information as part of a larger treasure hunt or mystery game. The game itself can be rewarding, but prizes for winners create even more incentive.

The event space plays a crucial role in gamification. You need to keep specific factors in mind. Ensure ample space for movement in your space configuration, especially if your games involve physical activity. Dedicate areas as interactive zones for specific gamified activities, such as areas where attendees can check leaderboards or take part in challenges. Integrate tech into your space as well — consider spaces for digital kiosks, AR/virtual reality (VR) zones, or projection areas.

CORT’s My Space Planner is the perfect tool for planning an event that includes gamification. “Complimentary for all of our clients, our user-friendly space planner helps you see exactly how your design will fit into any space in both 2D and 3D,” CORT Events explains.  “With a robust library of photo-realistic venue floorplans, real-time collaboration capabilities, and a speedy 3D rendering process, see your event come to life before it even happens.” 

Space Planner allows you to visualize your event space in ways that drawing can’t help you. You’ll be able to see how your gamified zones will fit into the event area. You can optimize space usage and ensure a smooth flow for attendees moving between different activities.

You can also experiment with layouts and test drive different configurations to find what works best for your event's objectives. Explore 2D and 3D design with CORT’s extensive catalog of furniture rentals made specifically for the events industry. You have the complete library of furniture models at your fingertips, scaled and optimized for your use, to design your space.

Incorporating gamified elements into your event is about more than just setting up activities with rules, scores, and prizes. You have to consider the furniture that you’ll use at a gamified event.

For starters, you need to look for furniture with flexibility. Gamified elements often require quick changes in setup or layout, so items that can be easily reconfigured, like modular furniture, should be on your list. You can quickly transform a modular seating arrangement, such as the Beverly Oasis Large Grouping in black vinyl, from a lecture layout to group-based settings for team activities.

Comfort is key, especially for longer games, quizzes, or challenges. Lounge seating with plush sofas or ergonomic chairs like the Monroe Chair can ensure that attendees remain comfortable during extended gaming sessions. You can also utilize interactive furniture to support technology, like charging points, or other tech integrations. High-tech tables with power outlets, such as the 30” Bar Table, Powered, are ideal for digital quizzes or games where multiple participants need to interact with tablets or screens all at once.

Designated gaming zones allow you to have the right mix of seating, tables, and open space, particularly when you feature different types of games at your event. For example, a VR zone could have ample open space for movement while a trivia zone might feature circular seating like the Endless Powered Closed Circle Ottoman with Small Curved Tables for team discussions.

Furniture that's easy to move around allows for quick transitions between different event segments or games. Lightweight chairs with wheels like the Ace High Back Chair or portable standing desks are easy to move around to fit the needs of each activity.

Finally, keep ambiance and lighting at the forefront because the aesthetics of your furniture can set the mood. Bright and colorful furniture can invoke a sense of fun and play, while sleek, modern designs might be more apt for tech-driven games. Additionally, furniture with built-in lighting, like LED tables — such as the Luna 20” Pedestal — or chairs, can elevate the ambiance for evening events.

Everybody loves to have fun, so in an ever-changing landscape of events, gamification puts attendees right in the middle of the action, shifting them from passive listeners to active, engaged participants. Elements like challenges, leaderboards, and rewards transform events into dynamic experiences that captivate the audience. 

The success of your next gamified event will depend not only on setting clear objectives and choosing the right game mechanics but also the physical environment. As you plan, keep space configuration, tech integration, and dedicated zones for activities in the forefront of your mind. 

That’s why it’s crucial to have the right event planning partner. At CORT Events, you’ll not only find the most on-trend and technologically savvy furniture and decor, but CORT Events puts a suite of planning tools at your fingertips that allows you to effortlessly plan your next event. CORT Events can support the planning and execution of your successful gamified event space with ease.