This paper presents an educational innovation that integrates gamified virtual experiences to develop communicative competencies in French as a foreign language. The project was implemented during the January–May 2025 semester at PrepaTec Campus Tampico with 68 students enrolled in French 2, 4, and 5. The main objective was to explore the potential of immersive virtual environments to foster oral and written communication through collaborative, playful, and meaningful tasks.

Using the Tec Virtual Campus, a 3D digital platform simulating a real campus, interactive rallies were designed where students, through avatars, worked in teams to solve communicative challenges in French. These challenges involved using past tenses (passé composé, imparfait, plus-que-parfait) in context, narrating personal experiences, describing images, participating in virtual sports games, and navigating collaborative missions across five virtual spaces: the Conference Hall, the Gallery of Inspiration, Borregos Arena, the Docks, and the Invisible Path Game A.

A mixed-methods approach was used to evaluate the project. Quantitative data were collected through communicative performance rubrics and student perception questionnaires. Qualitative data were gathered from student interviews, digital evidence (videos, screenshots, post-its), and direct classroom observations. The analysis confirmed that gamification in virtual environments significantly improved students’ fluency, self-confidence, and motivation, while fostering autonomous learning and effective teamwork.

Over 85% of students perceived the experience as enjoyable, meaningful, and useful for improving their French language skills. They highlighted the sense of freedom provided by avatar-based interactions, which reduced their anxiety and encouraged more spontaneous communication in French. The immersive and dynamic nature of the activities allowed students to apply complex grammar structures naturally, moving beyond traditional learning environments.

The findings align with recent research on the benefits of virtual reality and gamification for language acquisition (Repetto, 2014; Simões et al., 2013; O’Dowd & Dooly Owenby, 2020) and support the idea that collaborative and immersive experiences can enhance communicative competence in non-immersive contexts. However, students also identified areas for improvement, such as the need for clearer instructions and better time management during virtual transitions. Future iterations should also include more advanced use of artificial intelligence to support feedback and preparation.

This project offers a practical and replicable model for educators interested in integrating virtual campuses and gamified learning into language teaching. It demonstrates that combining technology, playful dynamics, and collaborative work can create engaging and authentic learning experiences that significantly impact students’ communicative skills and motivation.

Keywords: Educational innovation, gamification, virtual campus, communicative competence, collaborative learning.