The exponential growth of Indonesia’s digital economy has driven e-commerce platforms to adopt novel engagement strategies tailored to dynamic user behaviors. Among these, gamification has emerged as a compelling tool, whereby elements inspired by game design—such as rule-based mechanisms, interactive dynamics, and visual aesthetics—are embedded into non-game environments to foster user motivation and behavioral change. This study examines the extent to which gamification influences consumers’ intention to purchase, with perceived enjoyment, customer engagement, and social interaction serving as intervening variables. Shopee Games, a gamified feature within a major Southeast Asian e-commerce platform, serves as the empirical foundation. A quantitative approach was employed, drawing on survey data from 437 Shopee users, and the relationships among constructs were tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The analysis reveals that both aesthetics and dynamics significantly reinforce all mediators, which subsequently enhance purchase intention. Conversely, game mechanics exhibited ambivalent effects—positively reinforcing perceived enjoyment while exerting negative influence on engagement and social interaction. All mediating variables demonstrated a statistically significant and positive association with purchase intention, thereby affirming their function as key psychological enablers within gamified ecosystems. The findings underscore the strategic value of gamification in shaping consumer decision-making and offer actionable insights for digital marketing practitioners aiming to optimize user engagement and improve conversion rates in increasingly competitive online retail environments.