I think this article stops just short of making a leap and saying that game elements are now used as marketing tool to create 'stickiness'. When I ask most entrepreneurs the question- what will make people come back to their website, majority of them tell me that they are thinking of adding a gamification angle to keep getting people back.

I agree that gamification brings out the human values of competitiveness, trust, credibility. But I don't think gamification by itself creates a long lasting business advantage. After all, people will get tired of playing these games some day.

Great post and makes me think about the 'herd mentality'!