Ken Koontzonline

Creative Director of GEMH Lab
Short bio

I help really cool people craft really cool experiences that leave a real impact on the world. I can confidently bridge the gap between high level design and technical implementation, and I believe building trust is the key to any team success.

Top-3 games
  1. Ark: Survival Evolved
  2. Warframe
  3. AFK Journey
Find me on

www.kenkoontz.com


“The ability to perceive or think differently is more important than the knowledge gained.”

David Bohm

About me

Throughout my career, I have honed the unique skill of translating complex behavioral, psychological, and learning concepts into intuitive and enjoyable gameplay. Leading cross-functional teams has taught me the importance of weaving in-depth knowledge from fields like psychology and education into engaging experiences that deliver measurable outcomes.

My design journey began with training as an architect, which spring-boarded me into the commercial game industry as an Environment Artist before moving into Level Design. Since then, over the past decade, I have worked alongside psychologists, clinicians, and educators to design a framework for interactive experiences that prioritize both fun and impact.

What defines me as a designer is the versatility and empathy I bring to every project. Whether I'm creating game rules or an emotional arc, my goal is to make "play" a powerful tool for growth and shaping player journeys to be both meaningful and aligned with each project's objectives. I believe that serious games, while immersive and entertaining, can also drive positive change when designed with purpose, insight, and a clear vision of impact.

Projects I’ve worked on

  • Category
    Behavior Regulation
    Date
    17/02/2025
    Study/Course
    Location

    Designing and Testing a Game Intervention to Help Youth Quit Smoking

    About the project

    Smoking is one of the leading public health problems in the world. In the Netherlands today, still 1 in 4 youth between the ages of 16 and 25 smoke. Even more worrisome is that there are almost no evidence-based interventions available to help them quit smoking. That’s why we, in collaboration with scientists, game designers and smoking youth, developed and tested a game to help youth quit smoking. HitnRun is a mobile game in which you can train your impulse control, and in which you collaborate in teams, support each other’s quit attempts, and compete against other teams.

    view this project

  • Category
    Behavior Regulation
    Date
    23/04/2018
    Study/Course
    Location

    DUST: Decisions Under Stress Training - A Biofeedback Training in Virtual Reality for police officers

    About the project

    The work of a police officer can be seen as an evolutionary paradox: in places and situations where most people would fall prey to survival instincts of self-preservation, police officers ought to act calm, with proportionality and benevolence. This is why police officers need to train control over their responses to threat as much as possible. To enable this, we develop a virtual training environment with real-time biofeedback. We combine virtual reality and biofeedback to create a personalized, realistic training experience, while honing state-of-the-art technology and psychophysical theory.

    view this project

  • Category
    Behavior Regulation
    Date
    07/08/2023
    Study/Course
    Location

    Detour: A smartphone game to help youth quit smoking

    About the project

    Welcome to Detour, the innovative mobile game designed to help youths quit smoking by offering guidance, social support, and goal setting. Developed by a team of researchers, game developers, and youths, Detour utilizes cutting-edge psychology research to distract from smoking urges, build healthier habits, and focus on a smoke-free future. With daily reminders, just-in-time interventions, and a habit tracker feature for motivation, Detour empowers young individuals to lead healthier, happier lives. Join the community today and take the first step toward a smoke-free future!

    view this project

  • Category
    Anxiety | Depression
    Date
    17/02/2025
    Study/Course
    Location

    Social Games as Prevention Tools for Depression in Adolescents

    About the project

    In my PhD project I study social games for the prevention of depression. In my project I take part in both the development and testing of games. I want to use video games to help youth become more emotionally resilient and to decrease the stigma that surrounds depression. I do this in close collaboration with other researchers and game designers. I am particularly interested in games that are played in a social context, because I believe that both social threat and social support are key factors in the development and maintenance of depression.

    view this project

  • Category
    Anxiety | Depression
    Date
    17/02/2025
    Study/Course
    Location

    Reducing Stress Through Virtual Social Support

    About the project

    People with large social networks on average live longer, happier, less stressed lives. We can potentially leverage video games and virtual spaces to increase the experience of social support and impact daily stress and anxiety. Therefore, this project aims to show that virtual social support can lower stress, and potentially impact stress coping behaviours.

    view this project

no future events are set.

Archive


My publications

  • Mechanisms of Change in a Go/No-Go Training Game for Young Adult Smokers

    Scholten, H., Luijten, M., Poppelaars, A., Johnson-Glenberg, M. C., & Granic, I. (2021). Health Psychology, 40(12), 998-1008. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001068

    Author: Hanneke Scholten

    Upload date: 07-01-2021

  • A Randomized Controlled Trial to Test the Effectiveness of a Peer-Based Social Mobile Game Intervention to Reduce Smoking in Youth

    Scholten, H., Luijten, M., & Granic, I. (2019). Development and Psychopathology, 31, 1923-1943. doi: 10.1017/S0954579419001378

    Author: Hanneke Scholten

    Upload date: 06-17-2020

  • Behavioral Trainings and Manipulations to Reduce Delay Discounting: A Systematic Review.

    Scholten, H., Scheres, A., De Water, E., Graf, U., Granic, I., & Luijten, M. (2019). Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 26, 1803-1849. doi: 10.3758/s13423-019-01629-2

    Author: Hanneke Scholten

    Upload date: 07-03-2019

  • Do Smokers Devaluate Smoking Cues after Go/NoGo Training?

    Scholten, H., Granic, I., Chen, Z., Veling, H., & Luijten, M. (2019). Psychology & Health, 34(5), 609-625. doi: 10.1080/08870446.2018.1554184

    Author: Hanneke Scholten

    Upload date: 01-29-2019

  • Preparing The Heart for Duty: Virtual Reality Biofeedback in an Arousing Action Game Improves in-action Voluntary Heart Rate Variability Control in Experienced Police [Doctoral Dissertation]

    A. Michela (2024). Preparing The Heart for Duty: Virtual Reality Biofeedback in an Arousing Action Game Improves in-action Voluntary Heart Rate Variability Control in Experienced Police. Doctoral Thesis. Radboud University.

    Author: Abele Michela

    Upload date: 06-13-2024

  • Deep-Breathing Biofeedback Trainability in a Virtual-Reality Action Game: A Single-Case Design Study With Police Trainers

    Michela, A., van Peer, J. M., Brammer, J. C., Nies, A., van Rooij, M. M. J. W., Oostenveld, R., Dorrestijn, W., Smit, A. S., Roelofs, K., Klumpers, F., & Granic, I. (2022). Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 29. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.806163

    Author: Abele Michela

    Upload date: 02-10-2022

  • The Benefits of Playing Video Games

    Granic, I., Lobel, A., & Engels, R. C. (2014). American Psychologist, 69, 66-78.

    Author: Isabela Granic

    Upload date: 01-17-2014

  • Breathing Biofeedback for Police Officers in a Stressful Virtual Environment: Challenges and Opportunities

    Brammer, J. C., van Peer, J. M., Michela, A., van Rooij, M. M. J. W., Oostenveld, R., Klumpers, F., Dorrestijn, W., Granic, I., & Roelofs, K. (2021). Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 586553. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.586553

    Author: Jan Brammer

    Upload date: 03-12-2021

  • Reducing the Noise of Reality

    Michela, A., van Rooij, M. M. J. W., Klumpers, F., van Peer, J. M. J. M., Roelofs, K., & Granic, I. (2019). Psychological Inquiry, 30(4), 203–210. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2019.1693872

    Author: Abele Michela

    Upload date: 01-04-2020

  • Developing and testing social video games for adolescent depression [Doctoral Dissertation]

    A. Tuijnman (2023). Developing and testing social video games for adolescent depression. Doctoral Thesis. Radboud University.

    Author: Anouk Tuijnman

    Upload date: 11-28-2023

  • A game-based school program for mental health literacy and stigma on depression (Moving Stories): Cluster randomized controlled trial

    Tuijnman, A., Kleinjan, M., Olthof, M., Hoogendoorn, E., Granic, I., & Engels, R. C. (2022). A Game-Based School Program for Mental Health Literacy and Stigma on Depression (Moving Stories): Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mental Health, 9(8), e26615. https://doi.org/10.2196/26615

    Author: Anouk Tuijnman

    Upload date: 08-17-2022

  • A game-based assessment of the effects of rejection on young adults.

    Tuijnman, A., Kleinjan, M., Chen, S., Engels, R. C., & Granic, I. (2021). A game-based assessment of the effects of rejection on young adults. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 5(CHI PLAY), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1145/3474681

    Author: Anouk Tuijnman

    Upload date: 10-06-2021

  • A Game-Based School Program for Mental Health Literacy and Stigma Regarding Depression (Moving Stories): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

    Tuijnman, A., Kleinjan, M., Hoogendoorn, E., Granic, I. & Engels, R.C. (2019). JMIR Research Protocols, 8(3):e11255, doi: 10.2196/11255

    Author: Anouk Tuijnman

    Upload date: 03-14-2019

  • Developing and Testing ScrollQuest: A Video Game Targeting Rejection Sensitivity in Adolescents

    Tuijnman, A., Granic, I., Whitkin, J., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2017). In CHI PLAY'17 Extended Abstracts: Extended Abstracts Publication of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play (pp. 213-221). New York, NY: ACM.

    Author: Anouk Tuijnman

    Upload date: 10-15-2017

  • Current Opportunities in Research and Development of Games for Mental Health

    Tuijnman, A. & Weerdmeester, J. (2017). CHI PLAY, October 15 - 18, 2017, Amsterdam.

    Author: Anouk Tuijnman

    Upload date: 10-15-2017

  • The Sims: A Social Improvement Mechanism for Adolescents

    Lobel, A., Engels, R., Tuijnman, A., de Valk, T., & Granic, I. (2013, April). Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Seattle, WA.

    Author: Adam Lobel

    Upload date: 04-15-2013

Worked together with

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Isabela Granic
Director of GEMH Lab

Professor and Chair of the Developmental Psychopathology department in the Behavioural Science Institute; writer; voracious podcast consumer; mother of two upstanding little gamers

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Professor at McMaster's University & Co-founder of PlayNice Interactive

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Hanneke Scholten
Co-Director of GEMH Lab

Researcher, interdisciplinary work and collaboration, wants to understand the how's and why's, loves her high heels and coffee in the morning, walks and talks too fast.

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Assistant Professor at Erasmus MC Sophia Children's Hospital

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Erik van den Berge
GEMH Sessions Producer

Game developer, VR-guru, mocap artist, animator, video editor, and all-round problem solver. Avid gamer, movie lover and knowledge sponge.

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Multimedia Designer at Radboud University

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Joanneke Weerdmeester
Researcher at GEMH Lab

Behavioural scientist, lecturer, consultant, gamer, dungeon master, language enthusiast, and lover of all things geeky.

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Freelance Consultant

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Evan Hirsch
Collaborator

I work with clients to design ecosystems, adapt bleeding edge research and develop end-to-end strategies that help improve the lives of their patients, practitioners and users.

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CEO and Co-founder of PlayNice Interactive

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Anouk Tuijnman

I am a passionate researcher interested in improving the well-being of young people with the use of innovative interventions.

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PhD-Candidate at Radboud University

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Maaike Verhagen
Associate Professor

Associate Professor within the Developmental Psychopathology group, currently interested in belongingness needs, emotional processes, and internalizing problems in adolescents.

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Behavioural Science Institute - Radboud University

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Hiromitsu Morita

researcher

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Researcher

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Marieke van Rooij

Assistant prof. and data geek at the GEMH lab, dynamical modelling, personalisation, wants to put the I back into AI, news junkie, cat lover.

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Assistant Professor

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Maartje Luijten
Associate Professor

I both perform research and teach in the area of developmental psychopathology. My main expertise involves neurocognitive aspects of substance use.

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Behavioural Science Institute - Radboud University

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Wil Cunningham

William Cunningham is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto and holds a cross appointment in the Marketing Area at the Rotman School. Research and Teaching interests in: Affective Science, Social Cognition, Neuroscience, Attitude and Evaluation

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Associate Professor, University of Toronto

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