--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you make it a game, gamers will play…" description: "\"If you make it a game, gamers will play it no matter what your motivation is in making it.\" — Jane McGonigal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/jane-mcgonigal-6871_game_if-you-make-it-a-game-gamers-will-play-i_2181019.png" --- # If you make it a game, gamers will play it no matter what… ![“If you make it a game, gamers will play it no matter what your motivation is in making it.” quote by Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/jane-mcgonigal-6871_game_if-you-make-it-a-game-gamers-will-play-i_2181019.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/jane-mcgonigal-6871_game_if-you-make-it-a-game-gamers-will-play-i_2181019.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/jane-mcgonigal-6871_game_if-you-make-it-a-game-gamers-will-play-i_2181019.png) > “If you make it a game, gamers will play it no matter what your motivation is in making it.” [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Treating tasks as games boosts engagement regardless of underlying purpose. **In simple terms:** Games increase participation. Key Takeaway Design tasks as games. Themes motivation engagement gamification Mood enthusiastic playful Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace training - health apps - education - marketing campaigns Key Concepts psychology behavioral design Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance fun with meaningful outcomes? - When does gamification become manipulative? A Different Perspective May overlook deeper intrinsic motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Gamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gamer/) [Gamers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gamers/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [There are people who are very dismissive of games and gamers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/there-are-people-who-are-very-dismissive-of-games-and-gamers/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [When gamers can play a game together with all of their friends, regardless of the devices they own, you have a much more compelling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sweeney/when-gamers-can-play-a-game-together-with-all-of-their-friends/) [Tim Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sweeney/) > [Bringing your b-game first, among a-gamers, is bringing your a-game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-grayson/bringing-your-b-game-first-among-a-gamers-is-bringing-your-a-game/) Mark Grayson > [A goal of Twitch is to be wherever gamers are, whether it's on laptops and handheld devices or integrated into gaming consoles and software.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/a-goal-of-twitch-is-to-be-wherever-gamers-are-whether-it-s-on-laptops/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The humanitarian developers behind World of Warcraft have also discovered a way to bribe gamers into turning off their computers and going outside. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-thompson/the-humanitarian-developers-behind-world-of-warcraft-have-also/) [Clive Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-thompson/) > [Gamers always believe that an epic win is possible and that it's always worth trying, and trying now. Gamers don't sit around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/gamers-always-believe-that-an-epic-win-is-possible-and-that-it-s/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [Game designers are obsessed with emotion. How do we create the emotions that we want gamers to feel, and how can we really make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/game-designers-are-obsessed-with-emotion-how-do-we-create-the/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [Surveys of thousands of gamers have shown that they're more likely to play real music if they play a music videogame. So it's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/surveys-of-thousands-of-gamers-have-shown-that-they-re-more-likely-to/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [When parents or gamers ask me, 'What's the best game to play?' I say that playing face-to-face is more beneficial than playing online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/when-parents-or-gamers-ask-me-what-s-the-best-game-to-play-i-say-that/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [Gamers always believe that an epic win is possible and that it's always worth trying and trying now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/gamers-always-believe-that-an-epic-win-is-possible-and-that-it-s-2/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [For most people, an hour a day playing our favorite games will power up our ability to engage whole-heartedly with difficult challenges, strengthen our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/for-most-people-an-hour-a-day-playing-our-favorite-games-will-power/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [If you are a gamer, it’s time to get over any regret you might feel about spending so much time playing games. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/if-you-are-a-gamer-it-s-time-to-get-over-any-regret-you-might-feel/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > ['Superbetter' looks more like a social media platform or a social network than a typical video game. You know, there aren't any 3-d spaces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/superbetter-looks-more-like-a-social-media-platform-or-a-social/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [Cory Doctorow is a fast and furious storyteller who gets all the details of alternate reality gaming right, while offering a startling, new vision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/cory-doctorow-is-a-fast-and-furious-storyteller-who-gets-all-the/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [I don't want a gamer to feel like they have to commit their whole life to changing the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/i-don-t-want-a-gamer-to-feel-like-they-have-to-commit-their-whole/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) ## More by Jane McGonigal > [Although I'm perceived as very optimistic and upbeat, it comes out of being the opposite of that - feeling isolated or lonely, looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/although-i-m-perceived-as-very-optimistic-and-upbeat-it-comes-out-of/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [Urgent optimism is the desire to act immediately to tackle an obstacle, combined with the belief that we have a reasonable hope of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/urgent-optimism-is-the-desire-to-act-immediately-to-tackle-an/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [“Over time, even the tiniest meaningful actions add up, each one bringing you closer to a life that is truer to your dreams and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/over-time-even-the-tiniest-meaningful-actions-add-up-each-one/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [We've been playing games since humanity had civilization - there is something primal about our desire and our ability to play games. It's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/we-ve-been-playing-games-since-humanity-had-civilization-there-is/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [“Traditionally, we have needed instructions in order to play a game. But now we’re often invited to learn as we go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/traditionally-we-have-needed-instructions-in-order-to-play-a-game-but/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [“No object, no event, no outcome or life circumstance can deliver real happiness to us. We have to make our own happiness—by working hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/no-object-no-event-no-outcome-or-life-circumstance-can-deliver-real/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [Gamers always believe that an epic win is possible and that it's always worth trying, and trying now. Gamers don't sit around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/gamers-always-believe-that-an-epic-win-is-possible-and-that-it-s/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [Cory Doctorow is a fast and furious storyteller who gets all the details of alternate reality gaming right, while offering a startling, new vision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/cory-doctorow-is-a-fast-and-furious-storyteller-who-gets-all-the/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [“Gamers who have grown up being intensely engaged by well-designed virtual environments are hungry for better forms of engagement in their real lives. They’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/gamers-who-have-grown-up-being-intensely-engaged-by-well-designed/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [Games are work. There are economies popping up in games now because people value them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/games-are-work-there-are-economies-popping-up-in-games-now-because/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [We are moving towards a new form of collective intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/we-are-moving-towards-a-new-form-of-collective-intelligence/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [I ran through most of college and ran through most of grad school. When I was writing my dissertation for my Ph.D., it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/i-ran-through-most-of-college-and-ran-through-most-of-grad-school/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [Every game designer should make one explicitly world-changing game. Lawyers do pro bono work, why can't we?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/every-game-designer-should-make-one-explicitly-world-changing-game/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [There are people who are very dismissive of games and gamers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/there-are-people-who-are-very-dismissive-of-games-and-gamers/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [A game is an opportunity to focus our energy, with relentless optimism, at something we’re good at (or getting better at) and enjoy. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/a-game-is-an-opportunity-to-focus-our-energy-with-relentless-optimism/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) [Explore all 97 Jane McGonigal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) ## More Game quotes > [Raised by game where niggas ain't phased by fame. Come to the crib, get banged, they take your chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/raised-by-game-where-niggas-ain-t-phased-by-fame-come-to-the-crib-get/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/) [Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/) > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [I've always been very hard on myself, and I never want to get to a point where I'm like, 'Alright, I'm kicking butt,' but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-sauerbrunn/i-ve-always-been-very-hard-on-myself-and-i-never-want-to-get-to-a/) [Becky Sauerbrunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-sauerbrunn/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) Gene Scott > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Often in my game as an actor, someone else pays for your travel and there's nothing like being able to lie flat on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/often-in-my-game-as-an-actor-someone-else-pays-for-your-travel-and/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [With the Capital One Bowl, the average fan might think whoopty do. But if you are a team member, you win that game and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/with-the-capital-one-bowl-the-average-fan-might-think-whoopty-do-but/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [I remember throughout middle school and high school how excited my mom, sister and I would be when a UNC game was on TV.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/i-remember-throughout-middle-school-and-high-school-how-excited-my/) [Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/) > [Obviously, I want to win, but at the same time, at the end of the day, it's a game and that's what I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-rendon/obviously-i-want-to-win-but-at-the-same-time-at-the-end-of-the-day-it/) [Anthony Rendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-rendon/) > [It's more than a game. It's an institution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hughes/it-s-more-than-a-game-it-s-an-institution/) [Thomas Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hughes/) > [There are things you can do in training like learn from the manager and talk with team-mates, but it's the game that tests you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burke/there-are-things-you-can-do-in-training-like-learn-from-the-manager/) [Oliver Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burke/) [Browse all 13,309 Game quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you make it a game, gamers will play it no matter what your motivation is in making it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jane McGonigal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/if-you-make-it-a-game-gamers-will-play-it-no-matter-what-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Game" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/if-you-make-it-a-game-gamers-will-play-it-no-matter-what-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/jane-mcgonigal-6871_game_if-you-make-it-a-game-gamers-will-play-i_2181019.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/jane-mcgonigal-6871_game_if-you-make-it-a-game-gamers-will-play-i_2181019.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/jane-mcgonigal-6871_game_if-you-make-it-a-game-gamers-will-play-i_2181019.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you make it a game, gamers will play it no matter what your motivation is in making it.” — Jane McGonigal", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jane McGonigal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you make it a game,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/if-you-make-it-a-game-gamers-will-play-it-no-matter-what-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/if-you-make-it-a-game-gamers-will-play-it-no-matter-what-your/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```