A report by Gartner is predicting that game mechanics in non-game environments are going to grow substantially in the next two years:

By 2014, more than 70 percent of Global 2000 organizations will have at least one “gamified” application, according to Gartner, Inc. Analysts said that while the current success of gamification is largely driven by novelty and hype, gamification is positioned to become a highly significant trend over the next five years.

Gamification describes the broad trend of applying game mechanics to non-game environments to motivate people and change behavior.

“Gamification aims to inspire deeper, more engaged relationships and to change behavior, but it needs to be implemented thoughtfully,” said Brian Burke, research vice president at Gartner. “Most attempts at gamification currently miss the mark, but successful and sustainable gamification can convert customers into fans, turn work into fun, or make learning a joy. The potential is enormous.”