022 – The Tunneling Effect: Surprising Progress from Stuck Users
Description
In physics, quantum tunneling describes the improbable — particles breaking through barriers they shouldn’t be able to cross.
In gamification, the same phenomenon can happen with people. Users who seem stuck, blocked, or disengaged can still find surprising ways forward if the system creates rare, meaningful moments of breakthrough.
In this season finale, we explore:
How to design tunneling moments that unlock progress when players plateau.
Why shortcuts must feel rare to preserve fairness and meaning.
Practical strategies for creating breakthrough experiences in onboarding, progression, and long-term engagement.
This episode also wraps up Season One of Physics of Gamification. We’ll be back in late-October with Season Two — deeper dives, new formats, and for the first time, a video edition of the podcast.
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