One of the most important resources that should be understood and examined in order to develop preventive and, if necessary, interventional methods so that digital game playing behavior does not turn into game addiction, is the individual's motivation to play. Motivation; It is the inner power and/or feeling that activates the individual in line with the determined target behavior and ensures that the behavior continues. Studies investigating the motivations behind gaming behavior consider the premise of gaming behavior as "activating the individual" together with many different dimensions. Theories that form the basis of these studies and that classify the "activators" behind the behavior of playing digital games provide various motivational explanations for the behavior. Theories that form the basis of these studies and classify the "activators" behind the behavior of playing digital games bring various motivational explanations to the behavior. It is important to consider and evaluate these explanations holistically in order to examine the gaming behavior from a very comprehensive perspective. In this direction, the aim of the research is to examine and compile different approaches that explain digital game playing motivations. Determining the motivation that drives the individual will be a reliable source that can guide both the nature of the behavior exhibited and the therapeutic approaches to be developed. In this study, which was carried out in the compilation model, the findings obtained as a result of the literature review were compiled. After introducing the concepts of digital gaming behavior and motivation, self-determination theory, uses and gratifications theory, and explanations of social cognitive theories to gaming behavior were examined. Key Words: Motivation for gaming, online gaming, digital gaming, motivation, psychological counseling