Advances in Game-Based Learning, Gamification in Education and Serious Games

Dear Colleagues,

Play is one of the most natural ways for humans to learn, connect, and make sense of the world. Long before the digital age, games were shaping how we practiced skills, built social bonds, and explored new ideas. Today, digital technologies have amplified that power, turning games into global spaces of interaction, creativity, and transformation.

Serious games, gamification, and game-based learning stand at the crossroads of this evolution. They ask a simple but powerful question: what if the same forces that keep millions of players immersed in virtual worlds could be directed toward education, health, civic participation, or social change? The answers emerging from research and practice are as diverse as they are promising: from gamified classrooms that spark curiosity, to VR simulations that train professionals, to playful campaigns that raise awareness about pressing global issues.

Game-based learning focuses on designing games with specific pedagogical goals, while gamification brings game mechanics into non-game settings to boost motivation and engagement. Together, these approaches are unlocking new possibilities: more engaged learners, more effective training, healthier lifestyles, and greater public awareness of pressing issues.

This Special Issue brings together cutting-edge research, fresh perspectives, and real-world applications on serious games, gamification, and game-based learning. We welcome contributions that showcase innovation, share evidence of impact, and highlight the transformative potential of games across education, industry, and society. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Serious games for education, health, and training;
• Game-based learning practices and models;
• Gamification strategies in education and beyond;
• Advergames and branded play experiences;
• Exergames for physical activity and well-being;
• Pervasive and location-based games;
• Games for social and environmental awareness;
• New technologies powering serious games (VR, AR, XR, AI, wearables);
• Evaluation and impact assessment of serious games;
• Psychological dimensions of play: motivation, immersion, flow;
• Collaborative, multiplayer, and community-driven serious games;
• Security, privacy, and ethics in serious games;
• Case studies of successful implementations.

Join us in exploring how games can move beyond fun to drive learning, change behavior, and create impact.

Prof. Dr. Carlos Vaz de Carvalho
Dr. Hariklia Tsalapatas
Prof. Dr. Ricardo Baptista
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• game-based learning
• gamification
• serious games
• educational games