Serious games have emerged as innovative educational tools with considerable potential for enhancing experiential learning, fostering empathy, and developing intercultural communication competencies. Despite the growing body of research on serious games and intercultural communication, limited attention has been paid to systematically evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of employing serious games for promoting intercultural communication, particularly within the Iranian context. Therefore, this study aimed to identify, evaluate, and prioritize the major strengths and weaknesses of applying serious games to promote intercultural communication in Iran.
This research adopted a descriptive–analytical design and employed the internal environment dimension of the SWOT analysis framework. Initially, potential strengths and weaknesses were identified through an extensive review of the relevant literature and expert consultation. Based on these findings, a researcher-developed questionnaire consisting of 30 items (15 strengths and 15 weaknesses) was designed and distributed among 30 experts in the fields of serious games, intercultural communication, educational technology, and related disciplines. The questionnaire's content validity was confirmed by expert review, while its reliability was verified using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α = 0.87). The collected data were analyzed using the SWOT analytical approach to calculate weighted scores and prioritize the identified internal factors.
The findings revealed that the most significant strengths of employing serious games include interactive and experiential learning, simulation of authentic intercultural situations, enhancement of communication skills, and structured intercultural education through role-playing and scenario-based learning. Conversely, the most important weaknesses were identified as the limited availability of specialized expertise in serious game design, insufficient awareness of their educational capabilities, the risk of reinforcing cultural stereotypes due to inappropriate design, and the possibility of transmitting inaccurate cultural values when games are designed or implemented improperly.
The results suggest that the educational effectiveness of serious games in promoting intercultural communication depends not only on the intrinsic characteristics of the games themselves but also on scientifically grounded instructional design, culturally sensitive content development, and the availability of professional expertise. Consequently, strengthening design capacity, increasing public and institutional awareness, and integrating intercultural considerations into the game development process are essential prerequisites for maximizing the educational potential of serious games in intercultural contexts