Introduction
In recent years, the use of a digital tool has got more attention due to
their potential to motivate students and make the learning process more
engaging. Among these tools, digital game is a media that can be used to
do language learning because it promotes active engagement,
interactivity, and problem-solving skills. Since today’s students are more
familiar with digital environments, games provide opportunities to connect
learning with contexts that are both meaningful and enjoyable.
Gamification has become a well-known idea that is now used in many
fields of human life, such as technology, health care, marketing,
education, and business (Huseinović, 2024). Gamification uses ideas from
motivation and engagement to build a learning environment that works
like the natural motivation people feel when playing games
(Tursunbayevich, 2024). Both gamification and digital games can help
students learn better, but digital games may have a stronger effect. Ly
(2025) explains that gamification focuses on adding game elements, such
as points or badges, to non-game activities, while digital games are full
games designed with educational purposes in mind. Mahayanti et al.
(2024) showed that digital games can improve language learning, make
students more motivated in science lessons, and even increase
confidence in reading. Other studies also show that students feel more
engaged and less stressed when learning through digital games,
compared to traditional methods (Prastiwi & Lestari, 2025). One important
development in education is digital game-based learning (DGBL), which
makes use of the fun and interactive features of games to enhance how
students learn (Zakaria & Zakaria, 2025). The results showed that using
the app significantly boosted students’ motivation, engagement, and
performance, suggesting that game-based learning tools can impact both
internal and external forms of motivation across different educational
contexts.
Teaching media also impacted students’ motivation in learning something
new. Li, Chen, and Deng (2024) stated that when digital games are used
as teaching media, students feel more excited and motivated to learn. The
game-like challenges and rewards help them stay engaged and continue
learning. Online platforms as teaching media can improve student
motivation, but only if they are designed well (Akpen et al., 2024). Poorly
structured online lessons can reduce motivation. Nurhayati et al. (2024)
also says using online learning tools as teaching media can increase
motivation if teachers design the activities creatively. If the media is used
in a plain or repetitive way, it may not motivate students. It’s not only the
type of teaching media that matters but also how relevant the content is
(Johansen et al., 2023). When the materials connect to students’ real lives,
their motivation to learn becomes stronger. Favourite digital games also
became part of student’s real life because some of students need a media
to motivate them, and game is one of the media that available. Ames
(1992) explains that students’ motivation can be shaped by the kinds of
goals they pursue. Mastery goals learning for genuine understanding,
encourage deeper strategies such as problem-solving, social interaction,
and reflection, while performance goals learning for recognition, grades,
or rewards often lead to surface strategies like memorization or quick
translation. Similarly, Dörnyei (2009) connects motivation to learners’
future self-images through the L2 Motivational Self System. Learners with
a strong ideal L2 self (who they want to become) are often motivated to
use communicative, social, and reflective strategies, especially in digital
games. In contrast, learners with a strong ought-to L2 self (what others
expect of them) may be motivated by external pressures and thus rely
more on strategies such as memorization or rehearsal to meet those
expectations. Together, these perspectives show that both present goals
and future self-images strongly influence the types of strategies learners
use and the role teaching media, such as digital games, can play in
supporting their motivation.
There are several theories that supported this study. Self-Determination
Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) says that people are more motivated when
they feel in control, good at something, and connected to others. Digital
games support this by giving students choices, clear goals, and chances
to work together. Moller et al. (2024) stated that digital games provide a
useful context for applying self-determination theory, as features such as
competition, leaderboards, matchmaking, and adaptive challenges can
either strengthen or weaken students’ sense of autonomy, competence,
and relatedness depending on how they are designed. According to Gao
(2024), self-determination theory is a useful way to understand gamified
learning. The theory shows that games can increase student motivation
when they make learners feel engaged and in control of their choices.
However, if the design of the game makes students feel pressured or too
focused on external rewards, it can lower their motivation. Building on
this, Yang et al. (2025) show that students stay more engaged when they
experience flow, manage their own learning, and feel supported. In the
context of English learning through digital games, these two ideas connect
well: games can create flow with fun challenges, give learners control by
letting them track their own progress, and provide social support when
they play or learn together. Howard and Slemp (2025) further argue that
education works best when it supports students’ needs for autonomy,
mastery, and connection. In English learning through digital games, these
needs can be met by giving learners the freedom to choose activities,
rewarding their progress in language skills, and offering opportunities to
cooperate or compete with peers. Taken together, these studies suggest
that digital games are most effective for English learning when they are
designed to support students’ psychological needs, create enjoyable and
meaningful challenges, and foster both independence and social
connection.
According to flow theory by Csikszentmihalyi (1990) flow motivates
learners to practice strategies repeatedly (trial-and-error, problem-solving,
memory strategies) without perceiving it as tedious. The balance between
challenge and skill keeps learners motivated to refine strategies. Prensky
(2001) introduced the idea of Game-Based Learning (GBL), which argues
that games are effective tools for learning because they combine fun,
motivation, and educational content. Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL)
plays a significant role in supporting students’ motivation, cognitive
success, and performance outcomes. Using games, learners are provided
with immediate feedback, clear goals, and rewards that strengthen their
intrinsic motivation and sustain their engagement in the learning process
(Woo, 2014).
Digital games can be very useful for learning because they make students
more active and interested in what they are studying (Gee, 2009). Games
give a setting that feels real and meaningful, where students can try
things out, solve problems, and see what happens as a result. Instead of
just listening to the teacher or memorizing, students take part directly by
making choices and testing ideas. Learning is a social process, knowledge
is constructed through interaction with others and mediated by cultural
tools like language, symbols, or technology (Vygotsky, 1978). Technology
takes an important part in a learning process, and digital games are one
of the technological advances. O’Malley & Chamot (1990) stated that in
games, learners plan, monitor, and evaluate (metacognitive). They
practice language by playing (cognitive). They collaborate or
communicate with others (socio-affective). Digital games motivate
learners by presenting tasks in engaging goal-driven contexts. This
encourages the use of metacognitive strategies such as monitoring
progress and adjusting approaches, because learners want to succeed in
the game while also acquiring language (Sweller, 1988).
This study focuses on how favourite digital game motivate senior high
school students to learn English. It explores which game elements, such
as story, gameplay, game mechanic, and communication with team, help
students feel motivated to learn and build confidence. By focusing on high
school students and highlighting practical approaches to game use, this
study stands out and provides new ideas for making English learning both
enjoyable and effective. Therefore, this study tried to answer the following
questions 1) Why students use game as a motivation to learn English? 2)
How do students use their favourite games as a motivation in English
learning at a senior high school?
