The Crew / Founder & solo developer
LukasKlonk
Klonk + Werkstatt (workshop) = KlonkWerk
I used to take digital security incidents apart for a living as a cyber security engineer. Now I make games. KlonkWerk is my studio, Keep Harvesting is my first game, and I am all in on both.
- Born
- 1998
- Based in
- Haiger, Germany
- Engine
- Godot
- KlonkWerk since
- 2026
- Among the best apprentices in Germany
- Top 10
- Top German grade. Then 1.4, twice
- 1.0
- Cyber security engineer
- 0 years
- Person for code, art and sound
- 1
The story
Nine years in a safe job. Then I went all in.
In 2017 I started an apprenticeship as an IT specialist for application development. I ended up staying nine years: the apprenticeship, a work-study degree, a master’s on the side and finally my job as a cyber security engineer and information security coordinator. I grew there, professionally and personally, and met a lot of people I learned from. I am grateful for that.
During my studies, the wish to build my own game took hold, and with it the idea of turning that into a small studio one day. I love small indie games, and the idea would not go away. In 2026 I decided it deserved more than my evenings: I left my previous path behind, all in. I wanted to find out what my ideas could become if I truly gave them time, energy and responsibility.
That is how KlonkWerk came about. The name joins my surname with the German word for workshop, Werkstatt: a place where things are tried, built, thrown out and worked on again. That is exactly how development feels to me. You know where you want to go, and on the way you find solutions you never saw coming.
What I brought with me from security is mostly a way of working: look closely, understand how things connect and keep going when the cause of a problem is not obvious yet. In a security incident, that is the job. With a stubborn bug in a game, it is too.
Background
From the first line of code to my own studio.
2017to 2020
Apprenticeship
IT specialist for application development
Mid-sized company
Finished with a 1.0, the top German grade, which put me among the ten best apprentices in the country.
Grade 1.0
2020to 2024
Work-study degree
B.Sc. Software Technology
Focus on artificial intelligence and cyber security. Four years of studying and working side by side.
Grade 1.4
2020to 2026
Job
Cyber Security Engineer & Information Security Coordinator
Investigating digital security incidents, automating workflows, running my own security projects. Looking closely and sticking with it until the cause is clear.
2025to 2026
Master
M.Sc. Future Skills & Innovation
Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen
A full course load alongside a job at 80 percent.
Grade 1.4
2026to date
Founded
KlonkWerk
Haiger, Germany
Quit my job, went all in and started my own studio. First project: Keep Harvesting.
One studio, one person
Every role. One person.
One minute it is a stubborn bug, the next it is whether a voice fits the mood. And if opening a booster pack does not feel right yet, I will rebuild it for the twentieth time.
- 01
Code
Programming in Godot, from the first prototype to the version running on your machine.
- 02
Game design
Mechanics, classes, upgrades and the balancing that holds it all together.
- 03
Interface
Menus, cards and transitions, reworked until they feel right.
- 04
Look & sound
Visual and audio design, including voice-over in two languages.
- 05
Trailer & web
Trailers, the store presence and the website you are on right now.
- 06
Community
Discord, the devlog and every piece of feedback that comes in.
“Wait, I could still try that.”
Being upfront
AI is one of my tools. And I say so openly.
AI is part of my work on Keep Harvesting, and I am completely transparent about that. Used well, it is a great tool, especially for solo developers with limited time and money. Without it, this game would probably not exist in its current form.
That is why I would like to see a more nuanced conversation about AI instead of treating it as the enemy across the board. At the same time, I firmly believe in human creativity, and I value the craft, the design decisions and the personal touch of artists and designers.
My long-term goal is to replace the AI assets in the game, step by step, with work that people have created by hand.
Away from the screen
When the editor is closed.
Since 2012
Music
Different tools from programming, the same questions: mood, rhythm and how individual parts play together. That is why I take atmosphere and sound in the game so seriously.
Malinois
Ares
Anyone who knows these dogs knows a quick walk around the block does not cut it. Ares reliably makes sure my days also happen outside of open windows.
On the road
Travel
Discovering new places, and the idea of heading off in a van and letting the day stay a little more open.
Faith
Humility & gratitude
My faith in God is a personal part of my life. I hold my work to a high standard and still know how much I owe to other people.
Before KlonkWerk
More than technology.
I was building my own projects long before KlonkWerk. They taught me how much more than code it takes to turn an idea into something that reaches people.
- Volunteer
“3 Bilder 1 Geschichte”
An app for a literature festival that helps primary school children with reading and storytelling. Built as a volunteer.
- Volunteer
Tierheim Gießen
Helped organise events for the animal shelter.
- Own projects
E-commerce & social media
Online retail, my own social media channels and marketing digital products.
A lasting studio. More games. Beyond Germany.
That is the goal, and Keep Harvesting is the first step. I learn something new every day, rethink decisions and share openly in the devlog what works and what does not yet.
If you play my games, give feedback or follow along, you are part of this. I am glad you are here.
Lukas