As websites become games, understand the trend with the Gamification Encyclopedia

One of the biggest trends we’ve seen on the Web in the past year has been the growing “Gamification” of websites and online services. From Foursquare to Get Glue and and services like One True Fan and even, er, The Next Web, it seems that badges and leaderboards are everywhere right now.

In order to explain this, San Francisco startup Gamify has launched an in-depth Gamification Encyclopedia. This wiki-based site covers gamification of all kinds, from websites to the ways it’s been applied by governments and industries like healthcare and transport.

Still a work in progress, some sections of the site are under development but its 197 articles are a really good read, with lots of examples of the many different game mechanics, design elements and user features that make up a ‘gamified’ service.

With Gamify set to soon launch its platform to help build ‘gamified’ Web experiences, this is undoubtedly a stunt to drum up some interest but it’s a very useful resource and well worth reading if, like most The Next Web readers, you have a strong interest in Web trends. Just act fast before the badge fatigue we predicted recently starts to kick in.