Evaluating Multiplayer Game-Based Training for Earthquake Evacuation: A Systematic Review

This systematic review examines whether multiplayer game-based training can improve earthquake evacuation preparedness, with a particular focus on the group dynamics that shape evacuations in crowded settings such as schools and hospitals. The authors searched Scopus and Web of Science for literature from 2015 to 2025 using PRISMA guidelines, initially identifying 71 records and retaining 14 studies that met criteria for earthquake-related serious game interventions with an educational or behavioral focus. The review situates earthquake preparedness training within a broader Turkish and Marmara region context, citing historical seismic losses in Türkiye and projected risks for a densely populated area.

The included studies were grouped into five thematic clusters: immersive virtual reality for evacuation, mobile-based disaster education, instructional design and feedback, behavioral decision-making and social dynamics, and accessibility for vulnerable populations. Across these studies, serious games generally showed promising results for behavioral responses, situational awareness, knowledge retention, and motivation. Several comparative studies found that games could match or exceed drills and traditional instruction in engagement, while one study reported corrective feedback as the most effective design element for behavior change.

The central finding is a set of gaps rather than a set of conclusions about multiplayer training itself. None of the reviewed games were designed for multiplayer play, and most gave limited attention to social influence, leadership, role allocation, and collective decision-making. The authors attribute this partly to the technical and pedagogical difficulty of synchronizing multi-user immersive environments. The review concludes by proposing a new generation of multiplayer serious games grounded in social behavioral theory, and announces the authors' intention to develop such a prototype with an iterative design process.