A qualitative analysis of gamers’ experiences with vocabulary acquisition: Insights from grounded theory

Digital games influence vocabulary acquisition by providing repeated and contextualized exposure to language. They facilitate incidental learning through interactive, multimodal inputs, making them effective resources for learners. However, research often overlooks gamers' perspectives, particularly their lived experiences of acquiring vocabulary. Theoretical frameworks accounting for what shapes learning outcomes in game-enhanced environments also remain limited. By employing grounded theory, we sought to explore the factors affecting gamers’ experiences with digital game-enhanced vocabulary learning (DGEVL). Data from semi-structured interviews revealed three key dimensions: learner-related (empowered learners), item-related (words in play), and context-related (immersive worlds) factors contributing to positive and negative experiences in DGEVL environments. The analysis further showed that gamers acquire a range of concrete and abstract vocabulary across different game genres through diverse game registers. The findings highlight the potential of DGEVL and emphasize the need for thoughtful, systematic, and theoretically balanced integration of games to maximize learning outcomes.