Koen Schobbers is on a mission to educate people across the globe on esports, gaming and gamification, also helping parents to repair and retain relationships with children who play games. Currently the Founder of Parents of Play and a Board Member and Vice-Chair of the Athletes & Player Commission of the Global Esports Federation, Koen is helping businesses to strategically make use of both gaming and esports. Now booked as a keynote speaker Koen covers topics such as opportunities and possibilities in the gaming and esports industry, dealing with gaming children, social media, problematic gaming, gaming addiction and more.
Back in 2007, Koen’s love of esports and gaming blossomed, playing as an esports athlete for a range of leagues and companies. He was an Esports athlete for Trackmania and Rocket League, placing in third position at the World Championships of Trackmania, and for teams such as Team Expert, Team Acer, Infused and 4Kings. Koen is also the founder of Koenz, helping organisations to integrate gaming and esports into their strategies and gain relevance with future generations. He has also acted as an Ambassador for Acer, a founding member of the Athletes Commission of the International eSports Federation and a presenter for FOX Sports.
Paying attention to the increasing concern of parents and healthcare professionals in regards to children gaming, Koen provides solutions to help people manage gaming habits and also has expertise on gaming addiction. Widely known as the first Dutch Esports player, Koen has also been the host of Inside Esports broadcast on ESPN and Twitch, an Esports expert for NOS and a Partner of the Dutch Esports Academy. He is also a published author, having written the titles My Gaming Child: Everything You Need to Know as a Parent and My Gaming Child: The 50 Most Important Questions About Gaming Children.
Now booked as a speaker for a range of events, Koen shares his expertise on gaming and how it will impact future generations. He has delivered over 100 speeches globally, to audiences including SMEs, Healthcare professionals, educational institutes and sports organisations. Koen was also invited to deliver the TEDx talk How to (Re)Connect With Your Gaming Child, demonstrating his expertise in connecting with the young generation and their passions for gaming. Having formerly spoken for the likes of EsportsX, the University of Utrecht, the Dutch Sports Council and at the Sports & Active Nutrition Summit, Koen is revered for his unique insights on the Esports industry. Covering topics such as gamification, problematic gaming, dealing with gaming children and the possibilities of gaming, book Koen Schobbers today to gain an understanding of how gaming will shape the future.
Books
My Gaming Child: Everything You Need to Know as a Parent
My Gaming Child: The 50 Most Important Questions About Gaming Children
How to hire Koen Schobbers
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Koen Schobbers for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
Koen Schobber's official speaking topics are listed below:
- Introduction to the Gaming & eSports Industry - The gaming and esports industry has taken the world by storm. Where does this industry come from? What is this industry about? How does it work? Why is it growing exponentially? And what five steps can you take to become part of it?
- Survival in Ever-Changing Environments: Lessons from the Gaming Industry - A company’s ability to adapt to its environment plays an important role in sustaining or achieving a prosperous future for the organization. The gaming industry as a whole has continuously adapted to its environment for over half a century and is now reaping the benefits: exponential growth. Lessons learned from the gaming industry can be incorporated in organizations to connect with younger audiences and attract talent. This in turn supports the organization with business and people sustainability, helping them to achieve a prosperous future.
- Opportunities & Trends Within the Gaming Industry - The world of gaming and esports is a breeding ground for innovation, supported by a powerful community that is strongly connected through all online possibilities. With new heroes, new games and new technological developments, this industry is set to play a very important role in what’s to come
- The Gamewell Plate & the Hierarchy of Gaming Psychology - Why do games have such a strong appeal? What is ‘conscious gaming’, ‘balanced gaming’ or ‘healthy gaming’? How can we ensure that a healthy balance is maintained? What are the risks if we do not? And, if not, how do we help someone to get back into a healthy routine?
- Building Unbreakable Relationships with Gaming Children - Gaming: it’s the #1 hobby of many children... And the #1 parenting problem for many parents. Koen will introduce you to some of his own models and guidelines that are used by parents and professionals across the globe to build unbreakable relationships.
- Battling Adversity - From stigma and bullying to fans and publicity. From problems at home to helping other families. From master’s degree in medicine to entrepreneur. From not being able to talk about my profession, to being an ESPN host and speaker. From alone in an attic room to being a Global Esports Federation board member. From amateur gamer to professional esports athlete. This is Koen’s story.
"Koen was one of the best speakers we ever had on stage at TEDxMünster. His talk was poignant and intense, and he presented it in a highly professional way: clear, understandable and entertaining. It was a pleasure to work with him" - Dr Wiebke, Organiser & Curator at TEDxMunster
"Koen has a sympathetic, accessible personality and is an experienced speaker. He has a lot of knowledge and experience in the gaming industry and his story is inspiring to many" - Mark, Sponsorship Director, KPN
"Koen Schobbers is a fantastic ambassador of the gaming industry. We gratefully made use of his talents and broad knowledge. Koen gives parents valuable insights and makes them feel more connected with their children when it comes to gaming" - Hans, Senior Media Relations Officer, VodafoneZiggo
"The commitment of, and cooperation with, Koen for our Ziggo Shop in Shop employee day was a good move. Koen knows how to engage with the audience by matching his story with the audience and our products and services. What was also very pleasant was the opportunity to discuss his input beforehand and that Koen took the time after the presentation, and during the drinks, to answer any questions. Koen is very accessible to everyone and easily takes you into his world, even if you are not familiar with this industry!" - Marianne, Third-Party Manager, VodafoneZiggo
"I was very impressed by Koen’s presentation at the Hot Game, the annual event of the Amsterdam Sports Council about a current sports theme. With his expertise, experience and empathy, Koen knows how to connect worlds that do not always understand each other very well" - Ageeth, Chair, Amsterdam Sports Council
"It is good to know Koen Schobbers in order to understand the gaming and esports industry. He knows the industry like the back of his hand, knows how to make smart, meaningful connections and explains how to deal with gamers" - Jolanda, CEO, Rotterdam Ahoy
"Koen is an enthusiastic (!!) speaker who, thanks to his professional and personal experience, is able to take a broad audience into the greatness of the gaming world. He has supported JOGG as a strategic sparring partner about our role in the gaming industry, but also as a speaker for education, healthcare and sports professionals in the country" - Jasper, Program Manager Media, JOGG
"’Koen has been a reliable ambassador for our brand for many years. His passion for gaming and drive to help people relate to who we are as a company" - Bart, Country Manager Benelux, Acer
- 2021 - Partner of the Dutch Esports Academy
- 2020 - Founder of Parents of Play
- 2020 - Board Member & Vice-Chair of the Athletes & Players Commission for the Global Esports Federation
- 2018 - Presenter & Esports Expert for NOS
- 2016 - Presenter for FOX Sports
- 2016 - Founding Member of the Athletes Commission of the International eSports Federation
- 2013 - Ambassador for Acer
- 2006 - Founder of Koenz
