Grendel Games

Grendel Games is a Dutch serious and applied games studio that develops interactive software, simulation tools and gamified systems for real-world learning and behavioural change. Its work spans healthcare, education and environmental sustainability, combining game design with scientific co-creation, clinical validation and software engineering.

The studio’s healthcare work includes medical and surgical training, rehabilitation and chronic-pain applications. For Underground, developed with the University Medical Center Groningen, Grendel Games created specialised controller adaptors that emulate laparoscopic instruments so surgical residents can practise bi-manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination and depth perception. This work informed Laptitude, a proprietary training platform under Grendel Medical that combines simulation hardware with structured surgical training software.

Applied games across sectors

Grendel Games also creates programmes designed for education, public engagement and rehabilitation. Its projects include:

• Gryphon Rider, a motion-based rehabilitation game supporting children with acquired brain injuries.
• Distress!, a clinical simulation for recognising signs of respiratory failure.
• Water Battle and Wijk & Water Battle, developed with water utility Vitens to encourage household water-saving through neighbourhood competition.
• Garfield's Count Me In, an arithmetic curriculum game made with Rekengames B.V. for primary-school learners.
• LeapInTime, an educational innovation and patent-application simulation developed with Aarhus University and EIT Food.

Development approach

The studio provides full-cycle serious-game design and development, behavioural-design and gamification consulting, interactive training tools, custom hardware integration, and ongoing maintenance and compliance support. Its practice brings together developers, designers, artists and researchers to build systems intended for practical use in clinical, educational and public-sector settings.

Grendel Games operates as an independent Dutch private limited company, Grendel Games B.V. Founded by Tim Laning and Jan-Jaap Severs, it continues to develop applied-game products and bespoke interactive solutions from its Leeuwarden base.