My AWS Cloud Certification Was Expiring — Here’s How I Recertified It Through Gamification

📩 “Important: Your AWS Certification expires on Mar 23, 2025”

Wait, what? My AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner credential was about to expire! And, of course, like any responsible tech professional, I had totally not forgotten about it (okay, maybe just a little).

The Usual Recertification Route vs. A Gamified Approach

Initially, I was considering the traditional route: just take an Associate-level exam and be done with it.

But then, two things happened at the same time:

1️⃣ I saw AWS now offered a gamified recertification process.
2️⃣ There was a “Cloud Tournament” happening within my organization.

So I thought… why not align everything and go all in? It was the perfect opportunity to recertify and compete at the same time!

How AWS Cloud Quest for Recertification Works

✔️ Stages 1–12: These were interactive and scenario-based, covering real AWS concepts with plenty of hands-on learning. Sure, there was a lot of reading, but it was a great way to refresh my cloud knowledge.

✔️ Stage 13 (Final Boss Battle): A Troubleshooting Challenge where you analyze and fix an AWS Cloud Architecture. This one definitely required some AWS experience, but it was a solid practical application of everything learned.

How Long Did It Take?

I’m suggesting completing one stage per day, meaning you could finish in 13 days.

Me? I did it in 4 hours. (Would have been faster if I didn’t stop for snacks.)

Plus, since I was already in “locked in”, I had the extra motivation to speedrun through it!

Final Thoughts 💭

✅ Was it fun? Yes!
✅ Did it refresh my AWS knowledge? Absolutely.
✅ Would I recommend it? If your AWS Cloud Practitioner cert is expiring and you want a different experience from the usual exam, this is a solid option.

💡 Bonus: It’s free until the end of July 2025, so why not?

Try it out here: AWS Cloud Quest: Recertify Cloud Practitioner

You can connect with me on linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcuschanjh/