- Culture
10 Years Later, A Decade at Game Lounge
Game Lounge has come a long way from its small, singular office in Malta, and it has changed and grown a lot since then – but it’s a privilege to say that some of the earliest employees, the first hires that remember that first office well, are still working with Game Lounge. They started out in roles like customer service, content writing, software development, and now they work in different segments, with different responsibilities, but with the same strength of character and can-do attitude that helped the business soar at the start.
Here’s the story of Victor Lerenius and Karin Baereg, two of our first hires, celebrating a ten-year milestone at Game Lounge.
Q: How did you get started at Game Lounge?
Karin: Well, I joined back in 2014—they had no HR yet, so my interview was a casual lunch with the founders, Jonas and Fredrik. Honestly, I think we were all equally nervous—probably because neither of them had much experience interviewing. I was around their 7th employee and possibly one of their first ‘official’ interviews, since most of the team were acquaintances.
Victor: Oh, Fredrik and Jonas, friends of mine from before, reached out in a group chat and asked casually if I’d consider moving to Malta to join Game Lounge. I was a bit hesitant at first, as it was a big move, but after thinking it over, I decided to take the leap. Just three weeks later, I was in Malta, ready to start my new adventure.
Q: What was your job at the beginning?
Karin: I started out as the content writer for their new site, Norgekasino.com, which has grown significantly since then.
Victor: Nice! I started by phasing out an IT consultant and transitioning our sites to a new infrastructure. Then, I focused on building a strong team, recruiting developers and designers to create top-tier affiliate sites.
Q: Can you remember what those early days were like? Was the company much smaller then, did it run differently, what was the atmosphere like?
Karin: I was working in a big company before, so it did feel strange coming to a small office apartment after that. It was just me and the boys. I even had my own bathroom since I was the only girl based in Malta. That said, even though we were a small group, we grew quite close, and while we were all working hard on our own tasks, we knew how to chill and have fun, too.
Victor: In those early days, we were all working together in the same room—the kitchen in our office across from Surfside in Malta. The meeting room was rarely used, but the ping-pong table and gaming rooms definitely were! It was a relaxed vibe, but we were all really dedicated, becoming friends as we mixed fun with work.
Q: How was moving up in the company? What was your next position at Game Lounge?
Karin: I stayed as a content writer for a while, and then, during my second maternity leave, I was contacted by one of my colleagues to see if I was interested in changing departments. A position in the internal product team (previously called the database team) had opened up, and since I had worked with it from the start, I was a good fit. This team went from a duo, to me being alone for a bit, and then back to a duo again. Today, we are a tight trio and proud members of the data department.
Victor: I joined Game Lounge as CTO, expanding our tech operations from just 2 people to around 25 across 5 departments. In late 2020, when I went on parental leave, we restructured the tech teams to facilitate the migration of our websites to WordPress. After returning, I stepped into the role of CIO.
Q: What has kept you in the business for so long?
Karin: It might be cringy for some to read, but this company has been a part of me for a decade. I have witnessed many changes, some less positive than others, but I have come through on the other side, still growing and learning. I have countless unforgettable memories and have built several friendships that I have no doubt will last a lifetime.
Victor: The culture. I thrive in the fast-paced environment of the iGaming affiliation industry. Game Lounge is constantly striving to innovate, fostering a culture that keeps me engaged and excited about how I can contribute. The ongoing challenges I face at Game Lounge motivate me to grow and take on new opportunities.
Q: What’s your favourite part of the day at Game Lounge?
Karin: Ah, I don’t really have a favorite part of the day; it’s the moments that matter to me. I’m a big fan of morning coffee and truly enjoy the buzz from people discussing things at their desks. Spitballing ideas with my team is always entertaining, and finishing a bigger task is immensely satisfying.
Victor: My favourite part of the day at Game Lounge is when I get to meet my colleagues face-to-face, for work or just for fun, even if it doesn’t happen every day since I work remotely. Those moments really energise me and make the days when I’m back with just my monitors feel a bit more balanced!
Q: What’s your team like? Your closest colleague? How do you work within the company together?
Karin: I can honestly say that I have the best team. We support and complement each other in ways I have never experienced in another company. My manager, Victoria Sansome, is the person I am closest to, and while some might disagree with being friends with your manager, our relationship developed naturally. Our third team member, Siim, is probably the most laid-back person I know, yet he contributes great ideas and a calm, steady approach that perfectly balances the team. We all have our strengths and quirks, but that’s what makes us work so well together. Together, we help other departments simplify their work through the tools we manage. There are numerous requests, wishes, and needs to address—and we give it our all to make it happen.
Victor: As the VP of Innovation, I enjoy working with different teams on various projects rather than being tied to a specific team. This flexibility allows me to collaborate with diverse groups across the company, each bringing unique perspectives and skills to the table. I find it rewarding to contribute to multiple initiatives and help drive innovation by leveraging the strengths of each team involved.
Q: Has much changed from the Game Lounge you started at to now from an operations and culture point of view?
Karin: I’ve had two maternity leaves during my time at Game Lounge. I came back after the first one to a bunch of new faces in 2016. My second maternity leave lasted longer than expected due to Covid, and once again, I returned to a much bigger company. Had I stayed in the content department, I would have experienced major changes in both size and operations. However, since I moved to the Internal Product Team, my daily tasks have been completely different. It was exciting to do something new, and I still enjoy it very much to this day.
The differences between Game Lounge then and now are enormous! From processes and procedures to operations, office locations, people, departments, ownership, and top management – it’s hard to compare. While I occasionally miss the small office vibe, I’m incredibly proud of what Game Lounge has become today!
Victor: Game Lounge has certainly changed and evolved since I started, but I see a lot of the original spark that made the company successful remains intact. The culture still embodies that innovative spirit. However, I must admit that transitioning to being data-led, rather than gut-feeling-led, has made a significant difference in our operations.
Join #gameloungelife