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Why Careers Need a Game Loop, with Unity's Jessica Lindl | Episode 412

Professor Game Podcast

Release Date: 09/29/2025

From Tank to Healer: Gamifying Academic Teams | Episode 432 show art From Tank to Healer: Gamifying Academic Teams | Episode 432

Professor Game Podcast

Recently funded and aiming for sustainable retention? Intro chat (no sales pitch): What if your research team worked like a raid party? Raul Mora shares how bringing gamer language and MMORPG structures into academia boosted clarity, motivation, and long-term commitment. This conversation explores community design, role-based engagement, and why listening to gamers is the most underrated retention strategy in education. RaĂşl is a professor at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in MedellĂ­n, Colombia, now also teaching remotely from Trondheim, Norway. He's been in education for over 30 years,...

info_outline Gamification Isn’t About Games. It’s About Motivation | Episode 431 show art Gamification Isn’t About Games. It’s About Motivation | Episode 431

Professor Game Podcast

I’ve interviewed hundreds of experts and now lead Engagement Strategy (EU) at The Octalysis Group. If you want help applying this, start here: Why do people ignore things they know are good for them and obsess over games instead? In this episode, we introduce the Octalysis Framework, unpacking the eight core drives of human motivation and explain how human-focused design leads to stronger engagement, higher retention, and better-designed products, platforms, and learning experiences. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design...

info_outline Gamification Where You Least Expect It with David Dand | Episode 430 show art Gamification Where You Least Expect It with David Dand | Episode 430

Professor Game Podcast

If you’re considering gamification for engagement, retention, or loyalty, I’m happy to compare options with you: The biggest impact of gamification often happens in the least obvious places. In this episode, Rob Alvarez talks with David Dand about using game-inspired strategies in recruitment, leadership, and employee experience to attract better-fit talent, reduce churn, and build stronger, more human organizations, even in highly traditional sectors. David is the Founder and Managing Director of Coreus, a boutique hiring services provider based in Brighton. Coreus specialises in...

info_outline Tom Vorselen On Why Effort Isn’t the Problem (Your Learning Systems Are) | Episode 429 show art Tom Vorselen On Why Effort Isn’t the Problem (Your Learning Systems Are) | Episode 429

Professor Game Podcast

You’ll get the same 14-day free trial either way—but if you use my link, you’ll also be supporting Professor Game: 👉 What if learning felt less like burnout and more like leveling up? We welcome Tom Vorselen, founder of The Study Coach, to explore how active learning, mindset shifts, and gamified structures help students and professionals overcome procrastination, manage time better, and achieve results without overwhelm. Tom Vorselen is the founder of The Study Coach, a global coaching brand helping students and working professionals overcome procrastination, master time management,...

info_outline From Theater to Gamification: Lessons I Learned from My Dad | Episode 428 show art From Theater to Gamification: Lessons I Learned from My Dad | Episode 428

Professor Game Podcast

In this heartfelt episode, Rob reflects on the profound impact his father, , had on his life, particularly as a prominent actor in Venezuela. As he commemorates the 25th anniversary of his father's passing, Rob shares personal anecdotes that highlight the lessons he learned from Mariano, including the importance of believability in storytelling, the value of physical fitness, and the significance of generosity. Through his father's legacy, Rob connects these lessons to his work in gamification, emphasizing how immersive experiences can evoke empathy and engagement in audiences. Rob also...

info_outline When the Game Is Rigged: Why Venezuela Couldn’t Win | Episode 427 show art When the Game Is Rigged: Why Venezuela Couldn’t Win | Episode 427

Professor Game Podcast

In this rare and deeply personal episode, Rob steps away from the traditional gamification conversation to speak as a Venezuelan. Blending lived experience, political involvement, and game-thinking principles, Rob reflects on the cost of doing everything “by the rules,” the exhaustion of democratic paths, and why this moment matters so deeply to millions of Venezuelans around the world. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and , he founded and hosts , the #1...

info_outline Beyond Points & Badges: How James Portnow Designs Intrinsic Engagement | Episode 426 show art Beyond Points & Badges: How James Portnow Designs Intrinsic Engagement | Episode 426

Professor Game Podcast

If you’re considering gamification for engagement, retention, or loyalty, I’m happy to compare options with you: What if gamification isn’t about rewards at all? James Portnow joins the Professor Game Podcast to explain why intrinsic engagement, thoughtful iteration, and strong design goals matter more than mechanics. From YouTube education to tabletop games, this conversation is packed with insights on building experiences people truly care about. James Portnow is a Game Designer by trade, who's worked on games ranging from the Call of Duty Series to League of Legends to Farmville. His...

info_outline The Magic Doesn’t Start Where You Think It Does | Episode 425 show art The Magic Doesn’t Start Where You Think It Does | Episode 425

Professor Game Podcast

Want to run away from destroying an experience? Happy to brainstorm → A magical Christmas experience in Madrid almost collapsed because of one overlooked detail. We break down a real-world holiday experience through the stages of gamification, and reveal where confusion can destroy even the most beautiful experience. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and , he founded and hosts , the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He...

info_outline Your Bio as an Origin Story: Gamifying the Job Hunt with Jade Arthur | Episode 424 show art Your Bio as an Origin Story: Gamifying the Job Hunt with Jade Arthur | Episode 424

Professor Game Podcast

If you’re considering gamification for engagement, retention, or loyalty, I’m happy to compare options with you: What if your bio was more than a skills list and your job hunt felt like a well-designed game? We explore with our guest Jade Arthur how to gamify the job search for the games industry, creating stories, systems and mindsets that boost confidence, visibility and long-term career engagement. Jade is a language and mindset coach for job seekers in gaming. She helps job seekers take down the villains in their job search like the "Cover Letter Crusher" and the "Interview Assassin."...

info_outline You're Using Streaks Wrong - Here's What Actually Works | Episode 423 show art You're Using Streaks Wrong - Here's What Actually Works | Episode 423

Professor Game Podcast

Exploring useful streaks for your product or org? Let’s chat → Why do streaks motivate users at first but eventually push them away? Rob explores the psychology behind collapses, the dangers of existing habit metrics, and practical ways to redesign streaks so they support, not sabotage, long-term engagement. Perfect for product leads, community builders, and behavior designers. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and , he founded and hosts , the #1 gamification...

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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.

 

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