It has been suggested that the functional significance learners ascribe to virtual rewards in gamified systems can have a significant impact on intrinsic motivation. Yet, to date, there has been a lack of research examining this relationship empirically. In the present study, we therefore applied Cognitive Evaluation Theory to examine how learners’ (n = 162) interpretation of virtual rewards in Duolingo affected autonomy satisfaction, competence satisfaction, and intrinsic motivation. Based on a structural equation modeling approach, our findings suggests that the informational significance learners ascribe to virtual rewards positively affects competence satisfaction, and that autonomy and competence satisfaction together affect intrinsic motivation. For the HCI field, the results point towards the importance of moving beyond treating virtual rewards in gamified learning as a use-or-avoid decision, and instead consider how such design elements can be modified to provide increased encouragement and positive feedback.

Accessibility removes barriers in the workplace, with game design processes being enhanced by better development tools, improved recruitment procedures, and an increased awareness of inclusive practices. This position paper describes accessibility within the field of digital games – with a special focus on game developers with disabilities – based on challenges and opportunities at workplaces described in a previously available summary of an industry roundtable in 2024. The aim is to find ways forward by raising awareness about issues of inclusion and accessibility based on views from people in the game industry and related research. The paper presents seven thematic concepts and related principles: 1) proactive, inclusive leadership; 2) better structure at workplaces; 3) adaptation with remote work; 4) normalise and facilitate adaptations; 5) inclusive employment processes; 6) sustainable advocacy; 7) accessible tools for inclusive game design. This paper also presents a tentative model where the needs of employees are the input while policy, methods, tools, advocacy and stakeholders provide support, and accountability provides control, which combined may lead to proactive inclusion. Our position is that while game accessibility has advanced significantly in the industry in the last decade, there is a need for more research about inclusion and accessibility in game design processes within game companies.

There is increasing interest in incorporating game design elements in workplace learning, known as instructional gamification.Despite initial positive indications, there is still a need for a deeper understanding of how organisational stakeholders play a role in implementing instructional gamification.This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach to identify and understand stakeholders' instructional gamification design preferences and how these preferences might impact their endorsement of instructional gamification.A survey of 231 individuals at a software company was conducted to gather data on stakeholders' preferences for instructional gamification.This was followed by in-depth interviews with eight employees to further enhance the understanding of stakeholders' instructional gamification design preferences.The quantitative findings revealed four interrelated factors concerning the instructional gamification design preferences of the three stakeholder groups.However, the qualitative findings revealed that the stakeholder groups interpreted the items differently.By integrating the quantitative and qualitative findings, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of the factors that enable or hinder stakeholders' endorsement of instructional gamification in workplace learning.The study also presents four design propositions that facilitate stakeholder endorsement of gamified learning artifacts.The findings have both theoretical and practical implications for designing and implementing instructional gamification in workplace learning environments.