Nokia has launched a new game and reward system for Windows Phone developers called DVLUP. The program allows developers to earn points for prizes, earn badges and compete against one another on a leaderboard.
The game component consist of badges and a leaderboard, developers can earn badges through a variety of activities and accomplishments on the site. For example, reading the terms and conditions at the bottom of the page unlocked the "Big Time Lawyer Person" badge for me. The leaderboard is where developers can duke it out over the number of apps under their belt, number of badges and their amount of total points. Check out these three badges below:
DVLUP also has a variety of challenges that when completed award points. This is where it gets fun, because those points can be used in the reward section to get some awesome prizes. The range of prizes is fairly awesome too, from gift cards to Starbucks to a Lumia 920. Below is what a sample challenge looks like:
The program is currently in private beta and only open to US and Canada residents. However, you can visit their site (www.dvlup.com) and sign up to be notified when registration opens.
Update!
Rich Dunbar, a Nokia Developer Ambassador has reached out to us. You can contact him or any other ambassador for codes to join the site early. You can contact him on Twitter or check out his blog for an ambassador near you.
Reader comments
Nokia launches DVLUP, a game and reward program for developers
... so, this is the gamification of game development. I reckon I know how this one will turn out...
All Nokia Developer Ambassadors have invitation codes to DVLUP if you want access now. Find the list at richarddunbar.blogspot.com
At DVLUP.com, you can trade in your old phones and get upto $300 from nokia for buying any of the lumia's.
isn't a developers main concern how he can monitize his work? what's the point of this program.
Just because our main objective is to make money off our work doesn't mean that it isn't nice to have other incentives. One of my favorite extensions for Visual Studio is the "Achievements" extension because it makes coding just a little more fun than it already is.
That's what the Nokia Ad Exchange and Nokia Marketing in a Box programs are for. Monetization is only part of the picture though.
Thanks for the tip. I reached out to an Ambassador near me via Rich's blog post, and they said they'll send me the invite info. It sounds interesting, and if it might give me an extra "push" to get some other apps done and reward me for doing so, I'm up for it.
I'm one of the Nokia Developer Ambassadors and can provide registratration codes. ping me nokiaguy[at]outlook[dot]com If you are a Canadian developer then check out how you get triple reward for your app. http://janhannemann.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/triple-reward-for-canadian-app-developer/