The Economy Framework That Explains Axie Infinity’s Collapse (And Prevents Yours)
In 2021, Axie Infinity scholarship players in the Philippines were earning the equivalent of several times their country’s…
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The Blog
Ideas on motivation, behavior & design.
Deep dives on the psychology behind why people do what they do — from Yu-kai Chou, creator of the Octalysis Framework. Pick the topic that matters to you.
Apollo Neuro Onboarding Audit: Why the Best Feature Gets Buried
Apollo Neuro built a product backed by real science: over a dozen clinical studies, peer-reviewed publications, and university…
Brave Browser Onboarding UX Audit: Genius Marketing, Clunky First Experience
Yu-kai Chou audits Brave Browser through Octalysis, showing why its privacy marketing wins the Discovery phase while the…
What a Neuroscientist Learned From Games: Barbara Oakley on Why Gamification Works
Yu-kai Chou explores Barbara Oakley’s insights on neuroscience, games, and learning design, showing why relatedness, scaffolding, and visible…
Why Games Turn Toxic: The Hidden Variable in Game Design
Yu-kai Chou explains why League of Legends feels far more toxic than Brawl Stars, showing how time-cost, blame…
The Octalysis Design Process: 5 Steps to Better Gamification Strategy
Yu-kai Chou breaks down the 5-step Octalysis design process, from Strategy Dashboard and brainstorming to prioritization, Battleplan planning,…
The Hidden 9th Core Drive: Why Sensation Sits Outside Octalysis
Yu-kai Chou explains Core Drive 9: Sensation, why it sits outside the Octalysis octagon, and when sensory design…