Game-based learning makes learning and instruction fun and immersive. Games give experiences meaning, they provide a set of boundaries within a safe environment, to explore, think, and try things out. They provide the motivation to succeed and reduce the sting of failure. Games are an ideal learning environment, with their built-in permission to fail, encouragement of out-of-box thinking, and sense of control.

The addition of game elements fused with a traditional learning environment is a way to leverage the power of engagement and imagination. Game-based learning provides learners with a sense of engagement, immediate feedback, feeling of accomplishment, and success of striving against a challenge and overcoming it.

Game-based learning is important in eLearning due to these four benefts:

Challenge
Motivation
Rewards
Feedback

1. Challenge:

Challenges are key engagement factors as they make the learners concentrate better and this helps them to set clear goals in the learning process.

2. Motivation:

Games motivate the learners to stay focused on content, throughout the course, without any distractions. This is possible because they make complex content easy to learn and recall. Motivation is the most important factor in eLearning, as it challenges the learner to win to go to next level.

3. Feedback:
According to a report by Gartner, engagement can be driven by accelerated feedback. Games provide instant and constant feedback such as scores, thereby leading to better engagement and motivation.
Game-based learning increases the confidence of a learner as it gives constant feedback. Feedback give an idea why the answer is incorrect to encourage the learner.

4. Rewards :
The objective of this element is to make the learner continue with the game.

https://elearningindustry.com/game-based-learning-for-increased-learner-engagement-new-hires

https://blog.commlabindia.com/elearning-design/importance-of-games-in-elearning