<![CDATA[Learning media tailored to students' characteristics can enhance motivation. However, previous studies have measured motivation as a general construct without grounding it in specific theory. Limited research has examined how gamification features in Wayground align with Self-Determination Theory (SDT) components, namely autonomy, competence, and relatedness, in the context of Economics education. This study addresses this gap by measuring the effect of SDT-based Wayground gamification on students' motivation to learn Economics through these three psychological needs. A quantitative quasi-experimental design with a posttest-only control group was employed. The study population consisted of 10th grade students at State High School 12 Semarang, selected via convenience sampling. The final sample comprised classes X-E5 (n=31) and X-E6 (n=32). Prior semester academic grades indicated comparable baseline abilities (experimental: 70; control: 70.4). The results showed that the average posttest learning motivation score for the experimental group (57.03) was higher than that of the control group (50.72). An independent t-test revealed a significant difference (p = 0.003), with a medium-to-large effect size (Cohen's d = 0.78). Sub-scale analysis based on SDT further indicated that Wayground particularly enhanced students' autonomy and relatedness, while competence showed improvement to a lesser extent. These findings suggest that Wayground has a significant effect on learning motivation for 10th grade students, specifically for market-related Economics topics. The implementation of Wayground is effective in enhancing students' learning motivation in Economics. Future research should employ longitudinal designs with multiple sessions to examine long-term motivation retention.]]>
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