Dear Skool Gamers, If you’ve been following my professional journey lately, you might have noticed that I’ve been pulled in many exciting directions. Each new opportunity has been deeply fulfilling, but it’s also made it harder to give this community the time and attention it truly deserves. I take full responsibility for the dip in engagement, and I want to thank each and every one of you for your contributions, your energy, and your support along the way. With a heavy heart, I want to let you know that this community will soon be archived. I don’t have an exact date yet, it will depend on how things go, but I wanted to give you all a heads-up so no one is caught by surprise. There may be one more related announcement before the official closure, or I might share updates via email later on, so please keep an eye out in either case. Thank you again for being part of this journey. It’s been a genuine pleasure building this space with you. Rob - Profesor Game

This episode is a bit different from the usual Professor Game conversations. I’m stepping outside gamification to share a deeply personal reflection on Venezuela—through the lens of systems, power, and human motivation. It’s about what happens when people do everything right, play by every rule, and still can’t win. This isn’t about ideology. It’s about design failure, the cost of inaction, and how to recognize when a system no longer converts effort into meaningful change. 💬 I’d genuinely love your perspective: How do you recognize the moment when a system is beyond repair? Looking forward to a thoughtful discussion here.

We just published a new episode of the Professor Game Podcast with James Portnow (Extra Credits, Night Crew Games), and it hits a nerve I see all the time in gamification and community design. One of the big ideas we explore is this: Real engagement doesn’t come from just points, badges, or leaderboards. Those can help sometimes, but by themselves, they rarely create motivation that lasts. Instead, James talks about intrinsic engagement, iteration, failing fast, and designing experiences people actually care about, even after the “game” ends. So I’m curious to hear from this community 👇 From your own work or experience, what has driven the most meaningful engagement for you? Rewards and incentives, or something deeper like autonomy, mastery, purpose, story...? No right answers here. Let’s compare notes and learn from each other.

A Christmas experience can look magical and still fall apart where it matters most. In the latest Professor Game episode, we break down a real holiday experience in Madrid that had beautiful storytelling, incredible characters, and meaningful interactions with kids, yet almost collapsed because of one overlooked detail: onboarding. Seen through a gamification lens, this episode is a reminder that confusion is never neutral. The magic doesn’t start inside the experience: it starts at the door. 👉 Community question: What’s the best (or worst) onboarding experience you’ve ever had, in a product, service, or community? What made it work… or fail? Drop your example below 👇 Let’s learn from each other.

Most people write their bio like a checklist of skills… but @Jade Arthur reminded us that your bio is actually your origin story: the narrative that shapes how others understand your mission, value, and journey. In this week’s Professor Game conversation, we explored how storytelling, mindset, and even identifying “job search villains” can turn the job hunt into something more meaningful (and even fun). We also talked about how a strong bio becomes the anchor for everything else: interviews, cover letters, networking, and the confidence you bring to your next opportunity. 💬 Question for you: What part of your origin story do you feel most proud of, and is it showing up clearly in your bio or profile right now? Share your thoughts below. Someone else in the community might need the inspiration your story offers.