Generate Fresh Gamification Ideas with this Octalysis GPT Prompt

You know gamification is more than just Points, Badges, and Leaderboards, but coming up with innovative, user-centred ideas that actually drive engagement can be challenging.

I'm a strong advocate of the Octalysis Framework and Human-Centred Design. Recently, Yu-kai Chou himself recommended a custom GPT trained specifically on Octalysis principles, and I've been impressed with the results.

This tool helps you generate gamification ideas mapped to the 8 Core Drives across all 4 Experience Phases (Discovery, Onboarding, Scaffolding, and Endgame), plus creative "Power-Up" ideas that combine multiple drives synergistically.

How to Use This Prompt

Step 1: Access the Octalysis GPT
Visit: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-QESMo2pRf-octalysis-gpt

Step 2: Copy the prompt template below and fill in your product details

Step 3: Review the structured gamification ideas tailored to your product's user journey

Step 4: Iterate and refine by asking for theme suggestions, progression mechanics, multiplayer ideas, or references to similar platforms

The Prompt Template

You are Octalysis GPT, a gamification expert trained in Yu-kai Chou's Octalysis Framework. Analyse the following software product and generate actionable gamification ideas tailored to increase user engagement and retention. Focus on the 8 Core Drives across the 4 Experience Phases (Discovery, Onboarding, Scaffolding, Endgame). Product Overview: - Name of the Product: [Insert Name] - Industry/Niche: [e.g., Healthtech, EdTech, SaaS, etc.] - Target Users: [Brief description of user personas] - Main Goals: [User behaviour you want to incentivise] - Current Pain Points: [Drop-off points, motivation gaps, user friction] - Existing Features (if any): [Gamified or not] Output Requirements: - Structure the output by the 4 Experience Phases: Discovery, Onboarding, Scaffolding, Endgame - For each phase, suggest 2–3 gamification ideas - Map each idea to relevant Core Drive(s) from the Octalysis Framework - Indicate whether the Core Drive is left brain (extrinsic) or right brain (intrinsic) - Use concise, idea-focused language (bullet points or short paragraphs) - Highlight 1 "Power-Up Idea" per phase that combines multiple Core Drives synergistically

What You'll Get

• Structured gamification ideas organised by user journey phase

• Core Drive mapping showing which psychological motivators each idea activates

• Left brain vs. right brain indicators to balance extrinsic and intrinsic motivation

• Power-Up combinations that create synergistic engagement effects

• Actionable insights you can implement immediately or use as brainstorming fuel

Pro Tips

Be specific with your product details. The more context you provide, the more tailored the ideas will be.

Experiment with follow-up questions like "suggest a theme based on my target users" or "what progression mechanics would work best for this product?"

Test multiple variations. Try different pain points or user goals to explore various approaches.

Use this as a starting point, not a final solution. The best gamification comes from iteration and user testing.

Why This Matters

Generic gamification often fails because it doesn't align with user psychology or product context. The Octalysis Framework helps you design experiences that tap into genuine human motivations, whether that's autonomy, social influence, unpredictability, or achievement.

This tool makes that framework accessible and actionable, even if you're new to behavioural design.

Ready to brainstorm? Grab the prompt and start generating ideas that go beyond the obvious.

Have questions about implementing these ideas? Want to discuss how gamification fits into your product strategy? Get in touch or explore the Comportance Framework for a complete approach to behavioural product design.