For Havana, the magazine for the Hogeschool van Amsterdam, I did an interview on the use of new/social media in higher education. Titled “Niet zo handig met knopjes”, you can download the .pdf here (see page 18). In short, there’s much to be done. Especially is you consider that there is such an overlap between the affordances of new media and the core business of what “we” academics do (sharing knowledge and information). I argue:

“Er gaapt echter een groot gat tussen de dagelijkse onderwijspraktijk en de wensen van de jongere generatie”

In addition, I did an interview for iPhoneclub.nl on the rivarly between Apple and Nintendo: “Nintendo wankelt nog niet, maar voelt hete adem van Apple”. I talk about Nintendo’s business strategy and culture and I argue that the Nintendo 3DS launch is an important moment to see if the company can continue its winning streak:

“Hij ziet de lancering van de Nintendo 3DS als ijkmoment. ‘Dat zal februari of maart zijn. Dan wordt het spannend. Zijn mensen bereid meer te betalen? Je moet de aandelenkoers in de gaten houden. Gaat het goed, dan heeft Nintendo laten zien dat het het nog kan.”

In the meantime I became an expert at Netkwesties.nl, a website with expert opinions on topical web related issues.

And to structure my contributions to Bashers.nl a bit more, I will write a op-ed piece based on game related news every other week. The first article reflects on the debate I contributed to at the Royal Dutch Academy of the Sciences on serious games: “Het is hoog tijd voor een ’serious hype’”

Last Tuesday I had my live TV debut and sat at the table of De Wereld Draait Door. If the number of reactions (via sms, email, twitter, Facebook.com etc) are any indication, me being on TV, and especially on “DWDD”, is nothing to sneeze at. So, yes, this is pretty awesome.

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Last weeks of September I had a short break and drove through Texas, good times! In the meantime, an interview was published on game journalism: “Gamejournalistiek: het vuile woord”. Do read the comments, they are as interesting as the piece itself. My take is, and has been:

“Ik denk dat een journalistieke werkwijze (of attitude) belangrijker is dan hoe je jezelf uiteindelijk beschouwt. Uiteindelijk vind ik dat gamejournalisten een bepaalde verantwoordelijkheid hebben (naar hun publiek, niet naar uitgevers of opdrachtgevers) en die ook moeten nemen.”

This Friday (October 8) I will do a lecture at the University of Utrecht (1-3pm) on the subject (game journalism). It will be in Dutch and if you’re interested to attend, drop me an email and I’ll tell you when and where (yes, you’re also welcome if you’re not a UU student!).

A longer interview was published in the magazine Revu on the most controversial games published (in the Netherlands) over the last decade. Think of Carmageddon, Postal, and Bully. The interview is titled “geweldgames gaan niet ver genoeg” and has my comment on why these games have been deemed controversial (or not). There are scans of the interview here (page 1 and page 2).

Last but not least, an announcement. The KNAW (Royal Dutch Academy of the Sciences) will host a symposium and roundtable discussion on serious games with Peter Werkhoven (TNO), David Shaffer, Jeroen van Mastrigt (HKU), Pieter Winsemius (WRR), Valerie Frissen (EUR/TNO), Carla Hoekendijk, and me on October 21. If you want to attend (it’s free and open to the public), there is more information here, send a RSVP before October 15.