You're Using Streaks Wrong - Here's What Actually Works | Episode 423
Release Date: 12/15/2025
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. Raúl is a professor at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Medellín, Colombia, now also teaching remotely from Trondheim, Norway. He's been in education for over 30 years,...
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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...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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."...
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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...
info_outlineExploring useful streaks for your product or org? Let’s chat → professorgame.com/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 The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized 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:
- Duolingo (language learning & streak mechanics)
- Happier Meditation (formerly 10% Happier)
- Streaks (habit-tracking app)
- Finch (self-care & habit-tracking app)
- Octalysis Framework (gamification & Core Drives)
- Abstinence Violation Effect (psychology of lapses)
Lets's do stuff together!