Free-to-Play Designer

About us

ForthStar is a unique games company based in Manchester, UK, on a mission to make big free-to-play hits. Established in 2023 by Playdemic Founders, Paul Gouge and Alex Rigby, and a team of exceptionally talented industry veterans, ForthStar's core belief is that the best games are made by highly accomplished teams with freedom for creative innovation.

Our mission is clear: to make great games that millions of people love to play every day for years. We take pride in our commitment to building exceptional, mass-appeal games with highly engaging core mechanics that captivate our players and become essential daily entertainment.

We believe in excellence and creative thinking and have a culture that promotes collaboration, innovation, and the continuous pursuit of better. We support each other to make ForthStar not just a workplace, but an inspirational space for creativity and professional growth. We are driven by our commitment to the service of our players and to each other.

About the role

We are seeking an experienced and passionate free-to-play mobile game Designer to join our talented team. You will be an essential contributor in crafting highly engaging gaming experiences.

In this role, you will play a crucial part in shaping the player experience, influencing the game from the prototyping phase through to launch and beyond. You will collaborate closely with the Creative Director and the wider team to ensure a shared understanding of the game vision and design intent.

Through your design work and discipline, you will strive for excellence, identifying issues and opportunities to create compelling mass-market game experiences.

This role is based in our state-of-the-art studio in Altrincham, Manchester. We operate a 4-Day Week, and our working days are Monday to Thursday. We prioritise being in the studio on these days to enhance productivity, collaboration and creativity. 

Responsibilities

• Design core gameplay mechanics, rules, and systems that make the game fun and challenging.
• Working with free-to-play monetisation strategies to balance player experience and revenue generation.
• Develop innovative and engaging game concepts tailored to the mobile platform and target audience.
• Create clear and comprehensive game design documentation, including specifications, wireframes, and user flows that align with the game’s vision.
  
• Collaborate closely with artists, programmers, and other team members throughout the development process.
  
• Use feedback from internal and external player testing to iterate towards the most successful and most engaging player experiences.
  
• Manage your time effectively to meet deadlines and work with production to ensure your work is well-planned and scoped.
  
• Participate in playtesting and provide feedback to improve game design and functionality.

Essential skills 

• Proven experience in game design, specifically mobile free-to-play games.
• Ability to design and document complex game systems, including progression, economy, and player progression.
  
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively present ideas and collaborate with team members, using tools such as Miro, Figma or similar. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and address design challenges.
  
• Understanding of game development pipelines and basic programming concepts.

Desirable skills 

• A strong portfolio showcasing your design skills and creative process.
  
• Experience with Unity would be highly beneficial.
• Experience with user research and data analysis.
• Knowledge of scripting languages.

Recruitment Process

We are committed to hiring only the most talented individuals to fulfil our mission: to make great games that millions of people love to play every day for years. We conduct a fair and objective screening and interview process for all candidates. Our hiring decisions are based on how well each person's skills, experience and traits align with the job requirements and values of ForthStar. 

Diversity

As an equal opportunities employer, we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive team. We believe that our company should reflect the diversity of our audiences and the wider society we engage with.