Sara de Freitas looks at the development of virtual worlds and ‘serious games’ and how we can make best use of these technologies to support better learning. They may help tackle ‘the gulf between learners’ experiences with technology inside and outside formal education’. She also examines the links to internet trends, web 2.0 and collaborative learning. Through discussion of the existing research and examples of the educational use of virtual worlds and serious games, Sara explores the potential of these technologies and the implications for education more widely.