301. Duolingo, Tinder, DraftKings: How Top Apps Have Been Gamified
25 August 2025

301. Duolingo, Tinder, DraftKings: How Top Apps Have Been Gamified

Deconstructor of Fun

About

We dive into Duolingo’s ruthless gamification, how BeReal is evolving beyond its viral gimmick, why Tinder is betting big on live events, the surprising social features inside DraftKings, and the stickiness of Crypto.com’s engagement loops. Each case study is a window into how apps are blurring the line between entertainment, habit, and monetization.

Guest: Kalle Heikkinen, Lead Analyst at App Refinerywww.linkedin.com/in/kalleheikkinen/

Chapters:

[00:00] App Refinery

[05:30] Duolingo's Gamification

[12:15] BeReal's Evolution

[20:45] Tinder's Live Events

[28:00] DraftKings' Social Features

[35:20] Crypto.com's Engagement Mechanics

[42:50] Conclusion and Insights