This article is about a great initiative by Republic Polytechnic students who created games to help people understand the challenges faced by wheelchair users. Here are the key points:

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/gaming-for-good-republic-poly-students-create-games-to-let-you-experience-life-in-a-wheelchair

As part of their final-year projects, students from Republic Polytechnic’s “design for games and gamification” course created interactive games that simulate wheelchair users’ experiences.
Three groups of students collaborated with the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Singapore (MDAS) on these projects, which were showcased in March 2025 and first unveiled at the MDAS Go the Dystance 2024 carnival in September 2024.
Two games were highlighted:
- “Mall Time Crunch” (inspired by Overcooked): Players control a mall employee helping customers with disabilities while navigating obstacles like inconsiderate pedestrians
- “Move with Ease” (inspired by Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes): A two-player game where one player is a wheelchair user and the other is a coordinator helping with navigation.
These games were deliberately designed to be challenging to simulate real-life difficulties wheelchair users face in environments like malls, HDB blocks, city centers, and schools.
The Move with Ease game was recognized as a finalist in the design and digital innovation categories at the 2024 Crowbar Awards.
MDAS representatives noted that the games were well-received, especially by children, and they’re exploring using them for other outreach efforts, like school engagement sessions.
The project was both educational and personal for the students. One student, Brayden Leong, was motivated by wanting others to understand his wheelchair-bound grandfather’s struggles.

Analysis of Wheelchair Simulation Games for Social Impact

Game Analysis

The Republic Polytechnic students developed two distinct wheelchair simulation games, each with unique approaches to creating empathy:

Mall Time Crunch:

Inspired by the cooperative chaos of Overcooked
Players assist wheelchair users through crowded mall environments
Features non-player characters who obstruct movement, simulating real-world inconsiderate behavior
Creates cognitive dissonance when players experience frustration at obstacles designed to mirror reality

Move with Ease:

Two-player cooperative experience with asymmetric gameplay
One player navigates as a wheelchair user while another provides coordination assistance
Recreates everyday environments (HDB blocks, city centers, schools)
Highlights specific hazards like traffic crossing dangers
Received recognition as a Crowbar Awards finalist

Both games translate physical barriers into gameplay mechanics, effectively turning accessibility challenges into experiential learning.

Social Awareness Benefits

These games provide several key awareness benefits:

Experiential understanding: By placing players in simulated wheelchair experiences, the games create an understanding that goes beyond intellectual knowledge to embodied empathy.
Obstacle identification: Players directly encounter specific barriers in the built environment that wheelchair users navigate daily.
Normalization of disability: Centering wheelchair users in gameplay, these experiences help normalize disability representation.
Behavioral change catalyst: The frustration experienced in gameplay can motivate players to modify their own real-world behaviors toward wheelchair users.
Intergenerational dialogue: As noted with student Brayden Leong’s connection to his grandfather’s experience, these games can bridge understanding gaps between generations.

Social Impact Potential

The games demonstrate significant social impact potential:

Youth engagement: The games particularly resonated with younger audiences who returned for multiple plays, reaching a demographic at a formative stage for developing empathy.
Community awareness: These games extend accessibility awareness beyond typical advocacy channels through public showcases like the MDAS carnival.
Design mentality shift: Projects like these help establish inclusive design thinking in future developers and creators.
Cross-sector collaboration: The partnership between an educational institution and disability organization models practical collaborative social innovation.

Applications for Social Services

These wheelchair simulation games could be utilized by social service organizations in several ways:

Sensitivity training: The games could be incorporated into training programs for service staff, healthcare workers, urban planners, and public transport employees.
School education programs: As MDAS suggested, these games would make excellent tools for school outreach programs to build empathy from a young age.
Public infrastructure planning: Urban planners and architects could use similar simulations to identify barriers before implementing physical designs.
Advocacy campaigns: The Games’ visual and experiential nature makes them effective components of broader advocacy campaigns for accessibility improvements.
Community engagement: Social service organizations could use such games at community events to build a broader understanding and support for accessibility initiatives.
Corporate sensitivity programs: Businesses could incorporate these experiences into diversity and inclusion training.
Virtual reality adaptations: Expanding these concepts to VR would further enhance the immersive empathy-building experience.

What makes these games particularly effective is that they balance educational value with genuine gameplay engagement—creating what educators call “stealth learning” where the educational component doesn’t overwhelm the play experience.

Benefits of Wheelchair Simulation Games for Social Services and Schools

For Social Services Organizations

1. Enhanced Training Programs

Social service professionals could use these games to develop more effective disability awareness among their staff. Rather than relying solely on traditional training materials, the interactive nature of the games provides hands-on experience that builds more profound understanding and empathy among:

Case workers
Social workers
Community engagement officers
Volunteer coordinators
Administrative staff

2. Client Empowerment Tools

The games could be adapted to help clients with mobility challenges communicate their experiences more effectively:

As communication tools, when clients struggle to verbalize their challenges
To help clients’ family members better understand daily obstacles
In group sessions where clients can share strategies for navigating barriers

3. Advocacy and Fundraising

The games offer compelling, experiential demonstrations for:

Fundraising events where potential donors can understand the impact of their contributions
Advocacy campaigns targeting policy change
Community awareness initiatives
Meetings with government stakeholders and urban planners
Demonstrating the need for specific accessibility improvements

4. Outreach Program Enhancement

Social service organizations could incorporate these games into:

Community center activities
Mobile outreach events
Shopping mall awareness campaigns
Public education initiatives

5. Research and Needs Assessment

The games could be modified to collect data on:

How people perceive accessibility challenges
Which barriers generate the most frustration
Public understanding of accessibility needs

For Schools

1. Character Education and Values Development

Schools could integrate these games into:

Social-emotional learning curriculum
Values in Action (VIA) programs
Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lessons
National Education initiatives focused on inclusivity

2. Cross-Curricular Learning

The games could enhance multiple subject areas:

Physical Education: Understanding mobility diversity
Design & Technology: Principles of inclusive design
Social Studies: Examining accessibility as a social justice issue
Computing/IT: Analyzing how technology can simulate experiences

3. Student Leadership Development

Student leaders could utilize the games for:

Peer education programs
Student-led inclusivity campaigns
CCA activities focused on community service
School assembly presentations

4. School Environment Assessment

Students and staff could apply lessons from the games to:

Conduct accessibility audits of their school campus
Propose practical improvements to school facilities
Create more inclusive classroom arrangements
Develop protocols for supporting students with mobility needs

5. Project-Based Learning

The games could inspire student projects such as:

Designing accessibility innovations
Creating awareness campaigns
Developing additional simulation experiences for other disabilities
Community mapping projects that identify local accessibility barriers

6. Community Engagement

Schools could organize:

Open houses featuring the games to educate parents and community members
Collaborative events with social service organizations
Intergenerational activities where students and seniors play together
Community service projects that address identified accessibility issues

Implementation Considerations

For both schools and social services, successful implementation would benefit from:

Facilitated reflection: Guided discussion after gameplay helps process emotional responses and translate them into constructive action
Stakeholder involvement: Including people who use wheelchairs in the facilitation process ensures authentic representation.
Action orientation: Clear pathways from awareness to practical action prevent the experience from becoming merely performative
Customization options: Adapting gameplay difficulty levels and scenarios for different audiences maximizes impact
Follow-up activities: Structured opportunities to apply insights from the games into real-world contexts

The combination of emotional engagement through gameplay and structured learning activities creates compelling learning experiences that can drive genuine behavioral and systemic change in both educational and social service contexts.

Inzoi

Krafton’s life simulation game, Inzoi, launched into early access last week amidst skepticism, a natural consequence of competing with the established giant that is The Sims. For decades, The Sims has dominated the genre, setting a high bar for any newcomer hoping to capture a slice of the virtual life pie. However, Inzoi’s game director, Hyungjun “Kjun” Kim, is determined to prove that his game is more than just another unfinished early access title, a label often associated with games that fail to deliver on their promises. Following a busy launch weekend filled with hotfixes addressing initial stability issues, Kim has addressed player concerns head-on and outlined ambitious plans for the game’s future, hoping to build trust and demonstrate a long-term commitment to the project.

Acknowledging that some players found the initial content “lacking,” Kim stated his commitment to delivering a superior early access experience, one that goes beyond the typical barebones offering. “Although we may be lacking right now, we are determined to prove that this is not just another ‘Early Access’ game that just takes advantage of it,” he wrote. This declaration comes after some players, including PC Gamer, voiced concerns about Inzoi’s initial lack of personality and depth compared to its primary competitor. The critique centered not just on the quantity of content but also on the perceived lack of unique character and compelling gameplay loops that have defined The Sims’ enduring appeal. The pressure is on for Krafton to differentiate Inzoi and carve out its own niche within the genre.

Kim directly addressed these concerns, apologizing for crashes and content limitations. “Some of you may have experienced crashes or found the available content lacking. I deeply apologize for any frustration this may have caused,” he stated, adding, “I promise to keep expanding Inzoi.” This direct and contrite response is a crucial step in building goodwill with players who are understandably wary of investing time and money into a potentially abandoned project. The key will be whether Krafton can translate these promises into tangible improvements and consistent updates.

While the duration of Inzoi’s early access period remains unspecified, a common practice in game development that allows for flexibility based on player feedback and development progress, the game’s roadmap for 2025 promises substantial improvements. Krafton plans to release four significant updates before the year’s end, significantly expanding the game’s features and addressing early criticisms. This aggressive update schedule suggests a strong commitment to actively developing and refining the game based on community feedback.

The first update, scheduled for May, is fascinating and demonstrates a clear understanding of player desires. It will introduce an adoption system, allowing players to expand their families in new ways, enhance relationships, provide more profound and more meaningful interactions between characters, offer new furniture options, offer greater customization of living spaces, and, crucially, offer cheat codes and modding kits for players who enjoy customization and breaking the rules. The inclusion of modding tools is a significant move, as it empowers the community to create their own content and extend the game’s lifespan far beyond what the developers alone could achieve. Later updates promise even more significant additions, including a new city to explore, offering fresh environments and gameplay opportunities, a memory system for Inzoi characters, adding depth and realism to their behavior, and intriguing details like indoor temperature simulation, suggesting a commitment to detail and immersion.

In the short term, Kim emphasized that the team will prioritize addressing reported issues through hotfixes throughout April. This immediate focus on bug fixes and performance optimization is essential for retaining early adopters and building a solid foundation for future content updates. Inzoi Studio is also actively exploring new avenues for gathering player feedback, supplementing their existing Discord server. Opening multiple channels for communication, such as in-game surveys or dedicated feedback forums, will allow the developers to gather a broader range of perspectives and ensure that player concerns are being heard and addressed.

In addition to new content, the team is also focused on improving the game’s stability and ensuring thorough testing for future updates. The commitment to rigorous quality assurance is crucial for avoiding future technical issues that could damage the game’s reputation. This commitment to optimization offers hope for players with lower-end PCs, potentially allowing more gamers to enjoy the world of Inzoi. By optimizing performance and lowering minimum system requirements, Krafton can broaden its potential audience and create a more inclusive gaming experience. Ultimately, Inzoi’s success will depend on its ability to consistently deliver on its promises, listen to its community, and offer a unique and compelling alternative to the established dominance of The Sims. Kim’s proactive approach and ambitious roadmap provide a glimmer of hope that Inzoi might just be more than just another early access game.

In this month’s issue, PC Gamer presents an exclusive first look at the breathtaking new contender in the life simulation genre, inZOI, which appears poised to claim the crown from The Sims.

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Games to Build Empathy for Wheelchair Users