This study was conducted to determine the effect of video-based simulation education on nursing students' motivation and academic achievement. The research was designed in a mixed model. A quasi-experimental method with a pretest-posttest control group was used for the quantitative part, and the descriptive phenomenology approach was used as the qualitative research method. The sample of the study consisted of second-year nursing students in two state universities in eastern Turkey. The data were collected with the Student Information Form, the Academic Achievement Test, and the Motivation Resources and Problems Scale using Google Forms Web application. Qualitative data were collected through online semistructured interview forms and focus group interviews. According to the results, the posttest academic achievement and Motivation Resources and Problems Scale mean scores of the students in the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group ( P < .05). In the analysis of the qualitative, three main themes emerged: We felt fortunate that it increased information retention," "We felt like we were in real practice environment," and "It made us feel that we were nurses." The results showed the use of video-based simulation can be suggested as a strategy to promote classroom teaching and engage students.