On Wednesday 4 November 2026, GameLab visited the DGA Network Lunch in Utrecht with students. It was an informative afternoon and a valuable opportunity for the students to expand their networks. The combination of meeting people, a showcase and a talk connected them with the wider Dutch games industry.
CataMiner in the showcase
A familiar name on the showcase floor was CataMiner, the co-op game made by a Fontys ICT team coached by Jeroen Derwort. Visitors could try the game and talk to its creators.
In our earlier CataMiner update, we reported on Daniël Klaver’s progress, the new drill and his focus on cooperation between players. The network lunch gave the project another opportunity to take its place alongside other creators and industry professionals.
Official launch of the DGA Student Division
The lunch also marked the official launch of the DGA Student Division. It was a special moment for students finding their way into the games industry. The division is student-led and focuses on areas including connecting people, development and strengthening links with the industry.
This fits well with the purpose of GameLab visits like this one: giving students opportunities to meet people beyond their own institution and build their networks. Find out more about the initiative on the DGA divisions page.
Mathijs Koning at Dutch Game Nest Insights
Following the network lunch, Mathijs Koning gave a talk at Dutch Game Nest Insights. Mathijs previously taught game development at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, making him a familiar face from education.
His talk, Tiny Games, Huge Joy: Making 12 games in 12 weeks, explored his experiment of making twelve games in twelve weeks. Learning from failure and the importance of finishing games were central themes. It was a relevant subject for students working on their first projects and developing as creators.
The visit offered both new knowledge and new connections: a valuable combination for the GameLab students. Read the talk announcement.