In parallel to the phenomenal rise of the digital game development industry through time, the acceptance of games in other sectors has also been changing. Computer-game skills have been increasingly applied in almost all areas of human activity in modern societies.

Digital games have now been embraced by the academic research community as a topic of investigation, as well as discovered by the education sector as a highly interactive medium that can support and foster learning. As a popular and powerful medium, computer games are being considered for use in various education and training settings to motivate learners, to focus their attention, and to help them to construct meaningful and permanent records of their learning.

Games have high presence in informal segments of learning - but in formal education, games are still often seen as an unserious activity, and the potentials of games for learning remain undiscovered. However, when evaluating games with their children, 85% of parents believed that computer games contribute to learning as well as provide entertainment.

The potential of game-based Learning (GBL) is still underestimated. It can play a major role in renewing learning, as it is perceived by learners in all levels of education and training systems. eLearning Papers seeks contributions about mixed realities, virtual worlds, and gaming in two sections: in-depth and from the field.

This issue is guest edited by Professor DI Dr. Maja Pivec, University of Applied Sciences FH JOANNEUM in Graz, Austria. The submission of articles closes on 27 May 2011. The provisional date of publication is 14 July 2011.