Green gamification in marketing: Bibliometric mapping, framework-based systematic review, and future research agenda

This study presents an integrative synthesis of green gamification in marketing through a hybrid review design combining PRISMA-guided screening, bibliometric mapping, and theory-informed analysis using the ADO-TCM framework. A total of 56 articles were included in the bibliometric analysis to map thematic structures and research trajectories, while the ADO-TCM framework was applied separately to 53 studies to examine behavioral drivers, decisions, outcomes, and theoretical-methodological patterns. The findings reveal seven thematic clusters centered on motivation, digital engagement, and behavioral intention. Despite growing scholarly attention, the field remains fragmented, with limited integration of gamification design and behavioral theory, overreliance on self-reported cross-sectional data, inadequate user segmentation, and minimal engagement with non-Western perspectives and the Global South. System-oriented sustainability frameworks, such as the Circular Economy and Transition Theory, are rarely operationalized, and unintended consequences, such as gamification fatigue are underexplored. Furthermore, this study introduces a Dual-Pathway and Nested Ecology framework, which connects reflective and habitual mechanisms with meso-macro enablers. It further identifies measurement and validation gaps, including the limited use of standardized scales and rare empirical testing of gamification frameworks. Ethical and inclusivity concerns have also been noted, particularly regarding AI, blockchain transparency, digital divides, and eco-elitism. The unintended effects beyond fatigue, such as moral licensing and rebound, require further examination. TCM analysis further highlights gaps in theoretical coherence, geographic representation, and methodological rigor. This study outlines a future research agenda that prioritizes multilevel theoretical integration, inclusive and ethically grounded design, and systemic embedding of gamification within broader civic and infrastructural ecosystems.