Exploring Mobile Legend Game Effects on Students English Vocabulary Acquisition Second Language

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the contribution of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang to English vocabulary acquisition among EFL learners through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach. Referring to the PRISMA guidelines, this study selected nine empirical articles published between 2020 and 2025 and focused on the use of Mobile Legends or similar online games as a medium for vocabulary learning. The results of the review show that most studies found a positive increase in students' vocabulary mastery through repeated exposure to English terms, instructions, and expressions in the game. Multimodal features such as visual text, character narration, and voice commands were found to aid vocabulary comprehension and retention. However, the vocabulary acquired tended to be specific to the game context and did not always transfer to broader language competence without pedagogical support. In addition, student motivation and engagement levels increased significantly when using games as a learning medium, although increased motivation did not always correlate directly with vocabulary achievement. The results of this study confirm that Mobile Legends can be an effective additional tool to support incidental vocabulary learning, provided that pedagogical integration and teacher guidance are still necessary to maximize learning outcomes.