Chris van der Kuyl
4J Studios
Chris van der Kuyl is one of Scotland’s leading entrepreneurs working across the technology, media, gaming and entertainment sectors. Chris is most notably co-founder and chairman of multiple award-winning games developer 4J Studios, best known for developing Minecraft for Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo games consoles. He and fellow co-founder Paddy Burns launched Chroma Ventures, the investment arm of 4J Studios, in 2021 and Chris was also formally recognised for his contribution to technology in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2020, becoming a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE).
Chris van der Kuyl is speaking at the following session/s
Powered by Players: Reforjing 4J Studios
From its roots as a trusted development partner to becoming a studio defined by innovation and community-first thinking, 4J Studios has been shaped—at every stage—by players.
In this candid and forward-looking keynote, Joe Garrett and Chris van der Kuyl take the stage to unpack the journey of 4J Studios: from its early history and over fifteen years working on Minecraft, through its bold evolution into a creator of original technology and its new IP, Reforj.
This talk explores how 4J is building Reforj to be a modern game ecosystem—one shaped not behind closed doors, but in partnership with its community. From early experiments through to key update milestones, Joe and Chris will reveal how direct player feedback has actively informed systems, features, and design direction.
Looking ahead, they will share what’s next for Reforj, including a preview of Title Update 8 and the unique fully custom Elements Engine powering it.
Session Takeaway
- The importance of listening to your community and how to harness their feedback.
- Insight into 4J Studio’s story and how the company has evolved over 21 years.
- The choice to commit to a custom engine and the impact of its constant evolution.
Session speakers
