Serious Video Games: Tools for Learning, Training and Health

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This is an interesting entry and written clearly. It offers a clear and concise definition of serious video games, and consideration of the role serious games play in research and practice is a useful inclusion. The broader intent on the use of the game itself is important to distinguish it from games that are serious (e.g. city simulators) and games that have an overall objective to educate, as per both Abt and Zyda.

The introduction is brief but appropriate, given the limited scope of the entry and of the subject.

The section on historical development is short but appropriate for an entry in encyclopedia. The distinguishing of gamification in the context of serious video games is important conceptually, but also in light of other existing entries in the journal. This is further established by the discussion on the psychological foundations of serious games, which offered a good overview of how key theories/approaches have been integrated into serious games.

The scope of applications of serious games is comprehensive, demonstrating their utility across multiple fields. The section on ethical and cultural issues contributes well to the article, especially the paragraph on manipulative design. The discussion of effectiveness is appropriate and well-rounded.

The acknowledgement of novelty within this field of research is important, including the broader limitations of current research that often excludes longitudinal follow-up as the author has identified. As a suggestion, it could be reinforced here or elsewhere in the entry that this could contribute to a limited range of peer-reviewed literature on this subject, which may help signpost to readers why this entry includes fewer references than may be typical for a entry in Encyclopedia. 

The conclusion does well to synthesise key issues identified in earlier sections.

A minor improvement may be the inclusion of further detail regarding the examples of serious video games, how they are used, specifically in the applications section.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 1,

Thank you for your thoughtful and constructive feedback. I am pleased that the overall structure, scope, and integration of psychological theory within the entry were considered appropriate for an encyclopaedia format.

In response to your suggestion regarding the relative novelty of the field, a clarifying statement has been added to the Evidence of Effectiveness section to note that the developing nature of serious games research, particularly the limited availability of longitudinal studies, contributes to a comparatively smaller body of peer-reviewed literature. This is intended to provide context for the reference base and support reader understanding of the current state of the field.

The Applications section has also been revised to include additional detail on specific examples of serious video games and how they are used in practice. This includes clearer illustration of their implementation across education, healthcare, professional training, and cybersecurity contexts, with greater emphasis on how game mechanics support learning and behaviour change.

Thank you again for your helpful suggestions.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript raises a highly important topic: serious video games, whose objectives have transcended the concept of mere entertainment to encompass education and training across various educational, health, and social fields.

The manuscript is largely sound and accurate from a scientific standpoint. However, its organizational structure may require some modifications, including:

1 - Changing the main title to: Serious Video Games: Tools for Learning and Training (because learning involves changing behavior, and training includes training in health interventions).

2- It is essential to add to the Definition section the background, methodology, and main conclusions of the study.

3- The historical development of serious video games in the fields of education, defense, health, science and community interaction was discussed, so it was necessary to add the historical development of serious video games in the field of cyber psychology.

4 - Regarding ethical issues: the advantages and disadvantages must be clearly defined, followed by a discussion of ethical and cultural considerations.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 2,

Thank you for your thoughtful and constructive feedback. The suggestions have been very helpful in refining the clarity and organisation of the manuscript.

In response to your recommendation regarding the title, this has been revised to better reflect the applied focus of the entry while retaining the broader scope of learning, training, and health-related applications discussed throughout.

With regard to the Definition section, this has been kept concise in line with the conventions of an encyclopaedia entry. Rather than incorporating methodological detail within this section, the broader background, scope, and key points of the entry are developed across the Introduction and Conclusions sections to maintain clarity and appropriate structure.

The Historical Development section has been expanded to more explicitly situate serious video games within cyberpsychology, highlighting their role as digital environments for examining cognition, emotion, motivation, and behaviour.

The Ethical and Cultural Issues section has also been refined to more clearly distinguish between the advantages and potential risks of serious video games, including issues related to accessibility, data use, algorithmic bias, and design practices.

Thank you again for your helpful suggestions.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear author,

Congratulations on your effort for adding an entry to the encyclopedia! The topic is of utmost interest, clearly presented, and documented.

I consider that a paragraph on the use of the theory of planned behaviour could enrich this study. I also consider it necessary for a little more detail on the use of AI in serious games.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 3,

Thank you for your thoughtful and encouraging feedback. I am pleased that the topic and overall presentation were considered clear and of interest.

In response to your suggestion, a brief discussion of the Theory of Planned Behaviour has been added to the Psychological Foundations section. This highlights how serious video games may influence attitudes, perceived norms, and behavioural control, supporting intention formation and behaviour change across applied contexts.

Additional detail has also been included regarding the role of artificial intelligence in serious games. This has been incorporated into both the Applications and Conclusions sections, with clearer explanation of how AI-driven systems support adaptive learning through real-time feedback and personalisation, alongside a brief illustrative example.

Thank you again for your helpful suggestions.