Technology research firm Gartner has named gamification to its annual Hype Cycle of Emerging Technologies list, and that could mean a big “level up” for some Seattle startups.

The list tracks different technologies and how long the technology will take to gain mainstream adoption. For example, mobile app stores, QR codes and e-readers are further along in adoption than tablets, cloud computing and so-called “’big data’ and extreme information processing and management.” The entire report from Gartner is here (free registration required).

In short, gamification has been used to reward users for doing tasks they already do and help create brand loyalty. Gamification has been used from everything from encouraging teenagers to save and set spending goals (like Bobber Interactive) to buying Zynga credits at your local 7-11 convenience store. It goes back to the basic idea that humans want to be rewarded for what they do.

Gartner has also predicted that 70 percent of the Forbes Global 2000 will be using gamification by 2015, and M2 Reasearch predicts gamification efforts will make up 23 percent of social media marketing budgets, or $1.6 billion in revenue, by 2015.

We’ve covered gamification in the Seattle area in the past. It’s hard to say if gamification will become mainstream in five to 10 years like Gartner predicts, but it seems likely that the term will change.