CONFIG Not CODE: Why Bloom’s Akasha Is the AI Game Builder Everyone Else Got Wrong
Bloom's Akasha ships voice-to-playable-Unity-in-browser with no code generated. Yu-kai Chou, advisor to Bloom, unpacks the CONFIG not CODE…
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The Blog
Gamification Analysis
Articles on Gamification Analysis — from Yu-kai Chou, creator of the Octalysis Framework.
Why Loyalty Programs Fail: The Mercenary Trap
Most loyalty programs don’t build loyalty. They build mercenaries. People who stay as long as your deal is…
Why Your Partner Can’t See Your Effort (The Appreciation Gap)
My wife Angel hates it when I sit on the couch wearing jeans. Not because she’s being unreasonable.…
Why the Hook Model Creates Addicts, Not Habits
Short answer: The Hook Model is Nir Eyal’s four-step habit cycle: Trigger, Action, Variable Reward, and Investment. He…
Why Friction Creates Meaning (And Convenience Kills It)
Every game designer, product manager, and UX lead I talk to is obsessed with the same thing: reducing…
Cialdini’s 6 Principles of Persuasion: S-Tier Behavioral Designer’s Guide
Cialdini’s 6 principles of persuasion are the most widely taught compliance framework in marketing, sales, and behavioral science:…
Why Users Can’t Leave: How Personalization Creates the Ultimate Switching Cost
Have you ever thought about switching from Spotify to Apple Music, then realized you’d lose years of perfectly…
Invest in Your Future Self: The Anti-Carpe Diem Philosophy
I strongly dislike the movie Dead Poets Society. Not because it’s poorly made. It’s beautifully crafted. Robin Williams…
The Law of Small Numbers: Why Your Brain Fails at Statistics
I teach behavioral design for a living. I’ve spent two decades studying what makes people do things. And…