This article addresses common questions on integrating serious gaming into your research project. Learn how co-creation and iterative processes can improve data collection and increase the chances of your research results benefiting people and society.

Dr. Ayla Schwarz is an Assistant Professor specializing in Implementation and Engagement in Digital Health at Wageningen University, part of the Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles chair group. Her research focuses on behavior change and technology, with a particular emphasis on promoting physical activity among children and adolescents. As the lead researcher of BEweegAPP+, she is currently working with JOGG, 8D, Kenniscentrum Sport en Bewegen and multiple municipalities to explore how policy can support effective scaling and implementation of physical activity apps.

What academic and social impacts can a design-driven, co-creative approach offer researchers? This article explores this question through a concrete example from our portfolio. Collaborating with researcher and biomedical scientist Lise Beumeler, we created a VR game designed to support recovery after an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission. This development was part of her PhD project, and follow-up research with the prototype recently led to a new publication, making it an opportune moment to reflect on its outcomes.

On October 18, 2024, the final conference of the GRACING project took place in Harghita County, Romania. Representing 8D, designer Bas Altenburg and Sven Snoek attended to share our expertise in design thinking and game-based approaches. Our goal: to support heritage professionals in developing sustainable, playful approaches to heritage preservation. The conference showcased five pilot projects that demonstrated how the best practices and e-learning module, to which we contributed, have been put into practice by local heritage professionals.

Social design is a practical way to tackle societal challenges by working closely with stakeholders. It not only delivers solutions but also provides researchers with new insights and valuable data. With ten years of experience, 8D helps researchers achieve clear results through co-creation and iteration. This blog shares three inspiring examples of social design in research from our portfolio.

Nienke Beerlage-de Jong is Assistant Professor at the University of Twente and a researcher in the field of infectious diseases and One Health, a field in which human, animal and planetary health are closely linked. She worked with 8D on a serious game about complex decision-making in zoonoses, diseases that can pass from humans to animals.

Design-driven research: what is the added value? Successful implementation of research results requires a perfect balance between user, the form of the intervention and the context in which it will be used. When all these elements are well aligned, research results end up where they really make a difference: in the middle of society.

Over the past few years I have had the opportunity to participate in a number of Erasmus+ projects. For those unaware; projects under the Erasmus+ programme are aimed at solving…

Transdisciplinary research brings together scientists and societal actors such as designers, artists, and policymakers to tackle complex issues. Examples include ethical dilemmas surrounding technology, climate adaptation, or healthcare innovation. Despite its potential, implementation remains challenging in practice: how do you ensure equal collaboration? How do you bridge differences in working methods and language? We discussed these questions with Julia Hermann, Assistant Professor in Philosophy and Ethics of Technology at the University of Twente.

Social design is a philosophy that translates academic knowledge into practical, usable solutions with societal impact. It bridges the gap between research and practice through co-creation, context-driven design, and sustainable implementation. Read our blog to explore the characteristics and benefits of social design—and why this mindset is so essential for researchers.

At a time when digital tools, apps, and simulations are increasingly used for training and learning, we sometimes forget the power of something simple and effective: the roleplaying game. While…

8D is working on a co-creative design process within the research partnership ‘VR4eVR’, which includes the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Royal Visio, and a range of healthcare providers and academic institutions.

In collaboration with educational partners from Romania, Cyprus, Estonia, and the Netherlands, 8D Games is working on the “Growth Game” – an innovative way to promote the growth mindset among primary school students. The game, inspired by the theory of renowned psychologist Carol Dweck, is expected to be launched in the spring of 2024.

The Center for Language and Speech Technology at Radboud University Nijmegen and the game company 8D Games collaborated to investigate the possibilities of speech technology within games that promote reading and speaking skills. During the project, the game concept and functional prototype DigiJuf was developed and tested at various stages with children in elementary schools.

Discover how serious gaming is revolutionizing research and get inspired. In this blog, we highlight innovative projects where game development intersects with scientific inquiry. Learn how co-creation, prototyping, and even educational board games are transforming data collection and target group participation within the research field. Whether you’re exploring behavior change, knowledge transfer, or engaging target groups, our examples showcase the immense potential of using design principles as a research tool.

AI+Hospital brings healthcare professionals together to discuss the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the hospital. Over the past year, over 200 healthcare professionals from 20 countries have played the game – and its impact appears to extend far beyond the walls of the UMCG, which initially had the game printed in a small edition.

in the healthcare and research fields, tools and interventions with sensors offer many opportunities. Moreover, when a game element is added, as in exergames, this can make treatments more effective and increase therapy compliance. People often become more motivated to perform their exercises carefully and completely.

As an employer or manager, how can you contribute to better inclusion of people with autism in the labor market? The European project ASES revolves around this question. Within the consortium, we are developing a game that teaches managers how to take ASD into account during a job interview.

Due to the considerable interest from agricultural education, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences decided to produce additional copies of the board game “To Table” and also link a usage course to it. On Thursday, December 1, the first students got to work with the game.

Software Engineer Sietse Hoekstra talks about the application of geodata in games, using the edugame The Lost Collection as an example. What are the possibilities of this combination?

Cross-continental game development: how does it work and what can we learn from each other? Let’s have a chat about this with Giel Hekkert (8D Games) and Eyram Tawia (Leti Arts). They are currently working on Shkorey, an informative game about sexual health, pregnancy and birth care.

So who are these people who build bridges between science, technology and social issues? That is what we will be asking a number of partners in the near future. Lise Beumeler – PhD researcher at
RuG Campus Fryslân – kicks off the interview.

8D is proud to be part of the Horizon Europe project European Food Fraud Community of Practice: From Outset to Operation (EFF-CoP). The project is led by Professor Saskia van Ruth from the Food Supply Chain Integrity department at the University of Dublin. Together with scientists, regulators, businesses, and other stakeholders, we are working within this project on innovative solutions to combat food fraud.