Many researchers have studied the effects of game-based learning (GBL) (eg, Annetta, Minogu, Holmes & Cheng, 2009; Kiili, 2007). However, empirical process analyses of long-term applications of GBL in a school setting are much less common. A process analysis of GBL in a school setting allows us to better understand the role of games in education and behavioral differences between students with different levels of prior knowledge and learning performance in GBL. The findings may serve as an important reference for designing adaptive GBL software. Online games are extremely popular among children, and their educational potential has also been evaluated in research (Hou, 2012). At the moment, however, there is little research dedicated to massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) developed for educational purposes. "Talking Island" (developed by Island Technology Co.) is an MMORPG designed to teach elementary school students English vocabulary and speaking and it includes most of elements found in large-scale commercial online games. The game provides realistic role-playing scenarios with various tasks. To complete a task and engage in battle, gamers are required to use a microphone to work with flash cards to learn the correct pronunciation and meaning of a word. The game utilizes voice recognition to determine whether a learner's pronunciation is correct and whether he or she can level up and complete a task. A study was conducted to examine the behaviors of the participants of that game and to discuss the game's advantages and limitations (Hou, 2012). The findings of this study indicate that an MMORPG that combines scenarios, problem-solving tasks and practice tasks can indeed facilitate students' learning to a certain degree (approximately 70%) instead of just providing entertainment. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)