Gaming as a Habit: How Gamification Is Transforming Russia’s Business Landscape

Russian companies are integrating game mechanics into digital workflows to drive motivation, learning, and customer engagement—reshaping the future of business.

Game On—From Motivation to Mastery

Gamification—using game elements like rewards, levels, and competitive leaderboards—is gaining momentum in Russian business, education, and HR. The approach taps into the human desire for achievement and challenge, turning mundane tasks into engaging experiences that build skills and boost results.

Russian companies are leaning into gamification to build team spirit, encourage learning, and promote healthy competition. It’s no longer a novelty—it’s becoming part of digital transformation.

Points, Rankings, and Real-World Wins

MTS launched Red Quest, a gamified campaign tied to its Red Energy mobile plan. With over 3.5 million site visitors and more than 1 million registered players, it helped drive brand awareness and increased plan sales. Sberbank integrated gamified tasks into its banking app to reward user actions with bonuses.

Yandex Go uses gamified challenges to boost driver performance. Drivers earn rewards for completing trip milestones, enhancing engagement and satisfaction. Meanwhile, uchi.ru—a nationwide e-learning portal for schoolchildren—employs avatars, rankings, and themed challenges to enhance educational engagement.

Teams, Culture, and the Future of Work

In corporate environments, gamification is helping companies onboard employees, foster collaboration, and reinforce core values. Employees can track personal growth, earn micro-rewards, and navigate custom development paths based on strengths and learning needs.

Experts predict that by 2025, millennials—gamers by default—will dominate the workforce. Gamification speaks their language and addresses business needs, from reducing churn to improving productivity.

Examples include construction firm PIK’s AI-powered design game, allowing users to customize virtual building façades. Whether text-based, visual, or fully interactive, game-based engagement is becoming a scalable solution across sectors.