Oskar Eklund’s journey through entrepreneurship, creativity, and leadership reflects the evolution of the modern gaming industry itself: Dynamic, interdisciplinary, and driven by passion as much as performance. As Chief Executive Officer of Hello There Games in Gothenburg, Sweden, Oskar stands at the intersection of gaming, music, technology, and culture, leading a studio that consistently challenges conventional boundaries.
From Creative Curiosity to Entrepreneurial Drive
Entrepreneurship has always been part of Oskar Eklund’s DNA. Long before gaming became his professional focus, creativity shaped his early life. A passion for sports and music defined his teenage years, and by the age of 14 he was already working as a DJ. Soon after, he founded his first band, The Bodyguards, an early signal of his inclination toward collaboration, performance, and creative expression.
His academic path was equally diverse. After studying economics in high school, Oskar explored computer programming and later co-founded a wood manufacturing company in southern Sweden. Although the venture ultimately did not survive competition from a larger player, the experience proved formative. It instilled resilience, practical business insight, and an understanding that failure is often a prerequisite for long-term success.
Recognizing the need to refine his commercial and strategic skills, Oskar enrolled at IHM Business School between 1993 and 1995, where he studied marketing, sales, and law. An internship at Canon followed, marking his formal entry into the IT and technology-driven business world.
Entering the Gaming and Digital Economy
Oskar’s transition into gaming was organic rather than accidental. His brother’s involvement with Pan Interactive: A game publisher that funded and published CodeName Eagle, the foundation of the Battlefield franchise—sparked Oskar’s deeper interest in the industry. This exposure came at a time when gaming was beginning to intersect with broader digital experiences, opening new creative and commercial possibilities.
During the rise of the internet economy, Oskar worked across digital strategy and business development roles at companies such as Framfab, HiQ, and Smartri. He collaborated with global brands including PUMA, Adidas, Volvo, and others, developing marketing and educational games that demonstrated how interactive experiences could extend far beyond entertainment. Gaming, in Oskar’s view, became a tool for storytelling, education, healthcare, and engagement—an outlook that continues to shape his leadership philosophy today.
Building Hello There Games
Hello There Games was born from a desire to create more than just successful products. Founded by Oskar and a group of like-minded creatives, the studio was built around a simple but powerful idea: great games emerge from environments where people genuinely enjoy working together.
Empathy, playfulness, and creativity form the studio’s core values. These principles guide everything from internal culture to external partnerships. Hello There Games quickly carved out a unique position by combining gaming with popular culture, particularly music, transforming cultural trends into engaging interactive experiences with speed and authenticity.
Under Oskar’s leadership, the studio has collaborated with music stars and bands to create games that allow fans to experience music in new ways. The objective is not merely licensing music, but adding tangible value to artists while delivering standout gameplay for players. This approach has resonated strongly with audiences, particularly those discovering new music through gameplay—feedback Oskar considers the highest form of validation.
Expanding Into Film and Cross-Media Storytelling
Hello There Games has also ventured into film-related projects, applying a distinctly game-centric perspective. Rather than retelling movie plots, the studio explores side stories, secondary characters, and interactive narratives that expand cinematic universes.
Oskar and his team challenge traditional thinking by imagining experiences where player choices could influence a film’s ending or where gameplay and cinema coexist as parallel storytelling forms. This experimental mindset places Hello There Games at the forefront of cross-media innovation, redefining how games and films can complement one another.
Leadership Style and Studio Culture
Oskar describes himself as creative, energetic, and consistently positive—traits that strongly influence the studio’s atmosphere. He believes leadership is less about hierarchy and more about empowerment. Feedback and recognition are central to his management approach, ensuring that good work is acknowledged and growth is encouraged.
Rather than building rigid management layers, Oskar prioritizes kindness, helpfulness, and shared responsibility. He takes pride in being the same person inside and outside the studio, reinforcing trust and authenticity across the organization.
Outside of work, Oskar maintains a highly active lifestyle. He trains regularly, skis, snowboards, and surfs, and continues to play music on the piano and guitar. A 5th Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo, he often instructs others, drawing parallels between martial arts philosophy and leadership—particularly humility, discipline, and helping others grow.
Continuous Improvement and Adaptive Leadership
Oskar is deeply committed to personal growth as a leader. He openly acknowledges his limitations and actively surrounds himself with individuals who excel where he does not. Delegation, in his view, is not a weakness but a strategic strength.
An avid reader and industry observer, Oskar encourages learning through collaboration with other studios and professionals. Internally, he has established a creative board—an extended leadership group that prepares key team members for future management roles. This structure allows Hello There Games to scale while preserving its culture.
Kindness remains a non-negotiable leadership principle for Oskar. While he believes in clarity and decisive action, he is convinced that genuine care transforms leadership into motivation. Core values are not slogans, but daily practices that must be actively upheld.
Perspectives on the Gaming Industry
Oskar is candid about the challenges of leadership in gaming. He observes that many leaders lean too heavily toward management and metrics, often at the expense of creative vision. While profitability matters, he believes that long-term success in gaming depends equally on artistic direction, passion, and an authentic understanding of the medium.
Setting rigid numerical goals, such as sales targets alone, can undermine creativity in development teams. Leading a creative organization requires not just business acumen, but a deep love for games and respect for the creative process.
Vision for Society and Work Culture
Beyond business, Oskar envisions a more relaxed society where people enjoy life and work with positive energy. He deliberately chooses collaborators who contribute optimism and openness, believing that culture shapes outcomes.
He also advocates—partly in jest, partly in earnest—for universal Taekwondo practice, highlighting its emphasis on humility, discipline, and mutual respect.
The Road Ahead: A Five-Year Vision
Looking forward, Hello There Games has ambitious yet focused goals. The studio aims to become the leading global game developer in the music sector, launching at least three new intellectual properties and building strong, sustainable revenue from its own games. A strategic merger with a partner studio is also envisioned, opening new avenues for collaboration and growth.
At the heart of this vision is creativity. Oskar’s ambition is not to become the largest studio, but to create memorable games that stand apart through originality and player experience. His role, as he sees it, is to cultivate an environment where talented teams can thrive and build the next generation of standout games.
Oskar Eklund’s story is ultimately one of resilience, adaptability, and creative leadership—a testament to what is possible when entrepreneurship, empathy, and imagination converge in the ever-evolving world of gaming.
