do l2 learners learn new vocabulary implicitly or explicitly while playing online games?

Internet-related technology has become integral to daily life, significantly influencing education by enhancing accessibility and interactivity. video games, as a teaching and learning tool, are gaining attention, particularly in language learning. this study aimed to investigate the impact of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (mmorpg) world of warcraft on l2 learners’ vocabulary acquisition. forty college and non-college students, all at an intermediate english proficiency level as determined by placement tests, participated in the experiment. they were divided into four groups: two experimental groups (explicit and implicit instruction via world of warcraft) and two control groups (explicit and implicit instruction via traditional methods). the findings indicated statistically significant positive results for using world of warcraft as a game-based learning tool for l2 vocabulary gain compared to a regular classroom setting. the study concludes that incorporating video games like world of warcraft into language learning curricula can be beneficial, not only for vocabulary acquisition but also for other language learning aspects.