Catching up with a PSQ Alumni: Torsten

We're starting to miss our students who graduated this summer a whole lot now and wanted to catch up with some of them! That's why we talked to Torsten Lareke, a Designer Student from 2018, and asked him how's he doing and what he's been up to since graduating from PlaygroundSquad.

Hi Torsten! 👋👋👋

Where and what do you work with right now?

Right now, I'm working at King, the company I did my internship at. I got hired after the internship concluded. I've been working here happily ever since.

You're a PSQ Alumni (obviously), did you enjoy your time at PlaygroundSquad?

Yes! It was one of the most formative times of my life, as I made several friends during my time there. I really enjoyed being in such a friendly environment, learning the craft of game design and getting to know really cool people with similar interests and ambitions.

Do you miss PSQ? (We miss you!)

Well, yes, but also no. I had a really fun time getting to know the people there and learned lots of useful things during my education. I am happy with where I am today, and I wouldn't have gotten here if not for my time at PSQ.

What was the best thing about PSQ, in your opinion?

I really appreciated our design teacher Alex Untoro, but the one thing that was the best for me was my design classmates.

Do you think PSQ prepare you well for working in the Game Industry?

Yes, it taught me useful skills such as working with tools such as google sheets, Trello and using sprint structure. It also showed me the importance of regular meetings, such as stand-ups and retro meetings.

To everyone thinking of a career within Game Development, do you have any tips or do's and don'ts for them?

Do your best, make sure you work hard if this is what you truly want to do. Half-assing your way through education will waste both the school's and your time.

Regarding companies to do internships at, keep an open mind. I used to be very anti- mobile games companies, however, I can personally vouch that King is definitely a great place to work. Just because a company makes games you don't personally like, that does not mean you will not enjoy working on them. That's how it was for me.

Finally, would you recommend others to study at PSQ?

Yes, if you intend to give it your all. Otherwise, I believe you should look elsewhere before going here.

Thank you, Torsten!

Please say hi to everyone at King from us and please come visit soon ❤️