Hi there!
I’m Olle, a Swede working in the video games industry where I focus mainly on game design, user experience, and quality assurance. Born and raised in Stockholm, I found my passion for games at a young age and have been obsessed ever since.
When I was younger, it never really got through my head that you could make a career within gaming outside of professional competition, it felt like such a far-fetched concept. I both started and finished my degree in Psychology at Stockholm University during which my passion for gaming never subsided. Then all of a sudden one day (still during my studies), I stumbled by chance into my first gig through having coached in gaming previously. To make a long story short this eventually led me to start freelancing and collaborating with smaller studios both in Sweden and internationally. Even though the industry is VERY tough and hyper-competitive, I embarked on this journey out of passion. I knew I would regret it later if I never gave it a shot. Admittedly, I often still feel unsure about my future, but some other days all I can focus on is the game I’m creating in front of me. After coming to Gran Canaria however, I know for sure that I had made the correct choice.
After finishing my previous project for a studio in Berlin, I started looking around for new opportunities. Already on the first day, I came across some people advertising for a game studio based in Las Palmas Gran Canaria, and was immediately interested. For me, the process was actually somewhat flipped. I first had an interview with the studio, then they told me about the programme, which is how I found out about Erasmus Young Entrepreneurs in the first place. I also felt like I needed to escape Sweden for a while, having been in the same environment for too long, and needing both professional and personal growth. Working from home as a freelancer is nice, but after a while it gets a bit stale.
So far, the experience has been everything that I could hope for. The mentoring I’m receiving is really helping me develop my skills and further my knowledge, and the people I have met are all so kind and welcoming. Already after a month, it feels like home, and now I fear I will not want to go back to Sweden when the exchange is over. I’ve been pushed outside of my comfort zone, met so many new and interesting people, and most of all I feel like that worry for the future is slowly disappearing.
For now, outside of my work on the actual game (where I also learn a lot), my mentor and I have been focusing on my plans for the future, and how to gear me up for a successful career. We are still at the early steps, but I feel positive that I finally find myself in a context that allows me to grow.
I can’t wait for the remainder of the exchange, and at the same time I already fear the time will come to an end. One thing is for sure though, it was one of the best decisions of my life!