Technical vocabulary instruction in Foreign Language for Specific Purposes (FLSP) contexts poses persistent challenges due to its low frequency in daily communication. Drawing on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and informed by the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML), this quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of digital game-based learning (DGBL) on the short- and long-term acquisition of French technical vocabulary, and on both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as well as on the predictive relationship between motivation and vocabulary retention. Fifty-nine undergraduates majoring in viticulture and enology participated in a six-week intervention through a WeChat-based mini program specifically designed for professional French vocabulary learning. Quantitative analyses, including a mixed-design ANOVA, non-parametric tests, and hierarchical regression, were conducted to investigate vocabulary performance and motivational influences. Results indicated that the DGBL group achieved significantly greater vocabulary gains and stronger long-term retention than the control group. Students exposed to DGBL also reported higher levels of overall, intrinsic motivation and identified regulation, demonstrating enhanced autonomy and competence as postulated by SDT. Regression analysis further revealed that DGBL moderated the relationship between motivation and retention, helping students with lower motivation attain comparable performance levels. Overall, the findings support the value of DGBL in technical vocabulary instruction and in fostering autonomous motivation.
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