At UTS, innovation and creativity are at the heart of the student experience, not only in the classroom but in extracurricular activities. This is especially evident in the student-led Playmakers society, a vibrant community for aspiring game developers affiliated with FEIT. Playmakers offers workshops, game jams, industry talks and showcases that empower students to turn their passion for games into real-world experiences.
One of Playmakers’ core initiatives is the Playmakers Development Team (PDT), which simulates a professional game studio environment over a six-month cycle. It was through this program that Pascal’s Requiem was born. The game made waves at the 2025 UTS Tech Fest Games Showcase, where it stood out among a lineup of student-created titles. Pascal’s Requiem recently launched on Steam and also featured at the highly attended SMASH Convention in Sydney.
The game was brought to life by a multidisciplinary team comprising nearly 40 individuals. I had the opportunity to ask some questions to Samuel Coa (Producer), Nicholas Everett (Associate Producer), and Ben Comino (Advisor), who shared key insights from the development process.
What is the game about, and how did you come up with the idea?
Pascal’s Requiem is a 2.5D turn-based role-playing game set in a sci-fi solarpunk world. You play as Pascal, a young boy who encounters a mysterious person who claims to be from the future and sets off on a journey to change it. The unique selling point of the game is that in all battles, player and enemy moves are different microgames, ranging from petting a dog to dodging laser beams, and even busting out some dance moves!
The game emerged as an idea from the Playmakers Development Team. At the beginning of each development cycle, we typically launch with a game jam. During this phase, the team is divided into smaller groups of five to six people, each tasked with creating a prototype. Once all prototypes are completed, we collectively select the most promising concept to develop further. Pascal’s Requiem originated from one of these game jam sessions. It stood out as the strongest idea, and we chose to build the full project around it.
What was it like working in a large, diverse team to develop the game?
Pascal’s Requiem brought together students and graduates across cross-disciplinary teams in Art, Audio, Game Design, Marketing, Programming, and Quality Assurance. Each team was led by a dedicated Team Lead, responsible for managing their members, assigning tasks, and serving as the primary liaison between their team and the Producers.
From a production and management perspective, we implemented a range of workflows and frameworks to support efficient collaboration and communication. Agile methodologies guided our overall development approach, with the Kanban framework used to manage tasks across teams. The Scrum framework structured our meetings and retrospectives throughout the development cycle.
How has this project influenced your educational experience at UTS and your plans for work/life after uni?
Working on Pascal’s Requiem was a great learning experience. I gained confidence in managing large teams and sharpened both technical and interpersonal skills. Leading a group of almost 40 people taught me valuable leadership skills that are hard to replicate in a typical classroom environment. I also experienced a professional workflow, where each team member had a dedicated role, very different from smaller projects where I had to juggle multiple disciplines. This experience has strengthened my interest in pursuing a career in games production or design, and my role as Producer gave me a unique, hands-on leadership experience. Samuel Coa (Producer)
My initial motivation to join PDT was to continue to improve my game development skills and expand my game development portfolio through this extracurricular experience. Overall, I’ve found this experience to be invaluable, as I’ve been able to develop my leadership and game production skills, as well as make professional connections within the industry. Working within the video game industry continues to be a dream of mine, particularly in Japan. Since I’m also studying International Studies, I had the opportunity to go to Japan for an academic year, an experience that confirmed my desire to work and live there. In the meantime, I’m also committed to starting an indie studio to develop my own software and support the game development industry in Sydney as much as I can. Nicholas Everett (Associate Producer)
I joined the program in 2022 as a game designer on Nose of a Thousand Winds, and then led the 2023 team as producer on Armless Samurai. These experiences have helped in almost all aspects of my game development career, both with soft skills and production, allowing me to do things that I wouldn’t have been able to do in the classroom alone. In 2024, I returned as Advisor and Game Designer on Pascal’s Requiem, adding a second Steam title to my portfolio. Being in this program has given me the experience and industry connections to pursue my goal of starting my own game studio. Ben Comino (Advisor)
Find out more
Pascal’s Requiem is just one of the many games developed by the society; other games in their collection can be viewed online. You can also follow the society on Instagram and LinkedIn to stay up to date with their new projects and events. Congratulations to everyone in the Playmakers Development Team on creating and releasing a fantastic video game!