ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to assess how playing and learning are fundamentally coupled in both humans and video games, and what this means for concepts like Serious Games and Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL). Playing and learning are not only coupled in human phylogeny and ontogeny—they are also inextricably intertwined in the structure and use of video games. Moreover, the fundamental coupling of playing and learning not only exists on the side of the user but is also a key feature of games in general and video games in particular. Due to their entertaining and immersive nature, video games have the potential to make learning more enjoyable and motivating, not only for children and teenagers but also for adults. Of course, there are limits to what can be achieved with learning through video games and they are not equally suitable for all topics and learning goals.
