Professor Game Podcast

Rob Alvarez

#1 Gamification Podcast | Insights and Real-World Strategies to Boost Engagement, Loyalty & Retention. Professor Game helps innovators, product leaders, and educators use gamification and game thinking to create engagement that lasts. 🎙️ Hosted by Rob Alvarez — TEDx Speaker, consultant, and host of the #1 Gamification Podcast — each week brings you practical insights, case studies, and frameworks from 400+ global experts and proven real-world examples. Expect interviews with top practitioners in gamification, game design, and behavioral strategy, plus solo episodes where Rob breaks down practical frameworks you can apply in your team, classroom, or product. Join the movement to make engagement, motivation, and loyalty truly meaningful — with stories and strategies that transform the way people learn, work, and play. 💡 Listen. Learn. Apply Play to Your Strategy.

  1. Design With Audiences: Mister and Mischief's Playful Guide to Engagement | Episode 418

    HACE 3 D

    Design With Audiences: Mister and Mischief's Playful Guide to Engagement | Episode 418

    Build a thriving, loyal community—without chasing members or cranking out content 24/7. Join us for free: 🏡 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web From theme parks to zines, Andy & Jeff Crocker reveal how analog thinking powers modern engagement. We explore Infinite Right Answers, designing for collaboration, embracing imperfection over performance, and a field-tested model (confidence + generosity) that boosts motivation, loyalty, and community value. With roots firmly planted in the worlds of theatre and themed entertainment, Mister & Mischief (a.k.a. Jeff and Andy Crocker) create fun-forward journeys beyond the fourth wall. With an unexpected blend of storytelling and real-world engagement, the husband-and-wife team help foster curiosity and connection through immersive experiences that encourage participants to revisit an opportunity to play pretend. Think of them as your extroverted friends that allow anyone a safe place to step out of their shell and explore in places they'd otherwise never go. Jeff and Andy have created experiences for clients including Universal Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering and their award-winning work has been praised by The New York Times, Broadway World and No Proscenium. They were recently named in Blooloop's International list of Top 50 Immersive Influencers Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.   Guest Links and Info Website: misterandmischief.fun LinkedIn: Mister & Mischief Instagram: @misterandmischief   Lets's do stuff together! 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue Start Your Community on Skool for Free Community YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question

    33 min
  2. The Secret Framework That Keeps Users Coming Back

    3 NOV

    The Secret Framework That Keeps Users Coming Back

    Exploring gamification for your product or org? Let's chat → professorgame.com/chat We dive into the fascinating overlap between product thinking and gamification. By bridging Marty Cagan's product discovery mindset with the Octalysis framework, we uncover how to build not just functional products — but ones users love coming back to. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.   Links to episode mentions: Some public references to the Octalysis Framework and the process discussed: The Strategy Dashboard for Gamification Design Using the Octalysis Framework to Understand What Game Design Techniques to Use Intro to the Battleplan Spreadsheet within Octalysis Design References to Marty Cagan and his works and principles through Silicon Valley's Product Group (SVPG): Principles Discovery vs. Delivery Markers of an Empowered Product Team: A Talk by Marty Cagan The Product Discovery Plan   Lets's do stuff together! Let's chat about your gamification project 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue Start Your Community on Skool for Free Game of Skool Community YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question

    16 min
  3. From Viral Spike to Sticky Play: Doug Weitzbuch on Building Housle

    27 OCT

    From Viral Spike to Sticky Play: Doug Weitzbuch on Building Housle

    Want your members to actually stick around and engage without burning out or guessing what works? Join our free community of retention-focused leaders: 👥 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web What happens after "going viral"? Doug Weitzbuch (Housel) breaks down the Wordle-style mechanics, player feedback he wishes he'd acted on sooner, and the roadmap to localized, high-intent engagement. Practical lessons on PR, streaks, and turning play into business outcomes. Doug Weitzbuch is a television producer with credits on hit series including Hell's Kitchen, World of Dance, Lip Sync Battle, and Duck Dynasty. After producing Netflix's Buy My House, a Shark Tank–style real estate series, he created HOU$LE, the viral daily house-price guessing game often described as "Wordle for Real Estate." He currently produces FOX's The 1% Club, hosted by Joel McHale. Doug lives in Los Angeles with his wife (a real estate agent, naturally) and their two kids. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.   Guest Links and Info Website: housle.house LinkedIn: Doug Weitzbuch Instagram: @housle.house TikTok: @housle   Links to episode mentions: Proposed guest: Andrew Chen A16Z Speedrun Recommended book: The All In Podcast Favorite game: NYT mini games!   Lets's do stuff together! Let's chat about your gamification project 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue Start Your Community on Skool for Free Game of Skool Community YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question

    33 min
  4. From Fan to Creator: Jaime Schwarz on the IP Economy

    13 OCT

    From Fan to Creator: Jaime Schwarz on the IP Economy

    Want your members to actually stick around and engage without burning out or guessing what works? Join our free community of retention-focused leaders: 👥 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web What if your game character could earn you royalties? Jaime Schwarz unpacks co-creation, interactive media, and why the next frontier of engagement lives in the IP economy. A must-listen for future-focused creators! After an award winning 15 years as a copywriter and creative director for NYC agencies, Jaime Schwarz dove into Web3, first by filing the worlds first NFT patent in 2017 and then by founding brand therapy teaching brands to speak for themselves. After co-founding 7 startups from then till 2022, Jaime co-founded the Team Flow Institute using employee intelligence and Parallel Worlds, the first spatial transformation company. With his patent granted he is now also the founder of MRKD.dj ensuring DRRM (digital rights and royalties management) by smart contracting the samples themselves for infinite drops. On the roadmap is MRKD.worlds which expands stories across media using the same name chain as MRKD.dj to ensure interoperability and equitable co-creation across an open spatial web. Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.   Guest Links and Info Website: MRKD.dj LinkedIn: Jaime Schwarz Instagram: @mrkd.dj.remix Other Webs: Brandtherapy.coach TeamFlow.institute parallelworlds.us   Lets's do stuff together! 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue Start Your Community on Skool for Free Community YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question

    36 min
  5. Why Careers Need a Game Loop, with Unity's Jessica Lindl

    29 SEPT

    Why Careers Need a Game Loop, with Unity's Jessica Lindl

    Build a thriving, monetized community—without chasing members or cranking out content 24/7. Join us for free: 🏡 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web   Vice President at Unity and author of The Career Game Loop, Jessica Lindl shares how game-based strategies build better communities, improve retention, and drive real impact. Jessica Lindl is the Vice President of Ecosystem Growth at Unity Technologies, where she leads global efforts to empower creators, learners, and professionals through transformative, game-inspired solutions. With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of gaming, education, and workforce development, Jessica has helped millions of learners build meaningful careers. She is also the author of The Career Game Loop: Learn to Earn in the New Economy, a groundbreaking book that applies game design thinking to real-world career growth. Jessica is a Pahara-Aspen Fellow and serves on advisory boards for GSV Ventures and Jobs for the Future. Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in community building and education. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.   Guest Links and Info Websites: Unity.com careergameloop.com LinkedIn: Jessica Lindl Instagram: @career_game_loop TikTok: @careergameloop YouTube: youtube.com/@CareerGameLoop   Links to episode mentions: Proposed guest: Jane McGonigal Recommended book: Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal Favorite game: The Legend of Zelda   Lets's do stuff together! 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue Start Your Community on Skool for Free Community YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question

    27 min
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Información

#1 Gamification Podcast | Insights and Real-World Strategies to Boost Engagement, Loyalty & Retention. Professor Game helps innovators, product leaders, and educators use gamification and game thinking to create engagement that lasts. 🎙️ Hosted by Rob Alvarez — TEDx Speaker, consultant, and host of the #1 Gamification Podcast — each week brings you practical insights, case studies, and frameworks from 400+ global experts and proven real-world examples. Expect interviews with top practitioners in gamification, game design, and behavioral strategy, plus solo episodes where Rob breaks down practical frameworks you can apply in your team, classroom, or product. Join the movement to make engagement, motivation, and loyalty truly meaningful — with stories and strategies that transform the way people learn, work, and play. 💡 Listen. Learn. Apply Play to Your Strategy.

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