Principal Game Designer - Racing

undefined ago • All levels • Game Design

Job Summary

Job Description

At NaturalMotion, we make games that wow people and create previously impossible experiences. Our Racing business is responsible for the CSR Racing franchise, including CSR2 and the groundbreaking next installment, CSR3. As Principal Game Designer on CSR3, you will take ownership of the game’s systems, particularly its economy and progression mechanics. Your mission is to architect and drive a robust, engaging, and sustainable game ecosystem that embraces modern trends in character Gacha collection games. This leadership role demands a balance of vision, data-informed decision-making, and hands-on collaboration with cross-disciplinary partners.
Must have:
  • Lead design, tuning and evolution of CSR3’s economy
  • Define and balance gacha mechanics for unlocking and upgrading vehicles, parts, and meta resources
  • Shape long and short-term progression pacing
  • Ensure synergy between racing gameplay and meta advancement
  • Partner closely with Product and Analytics teams to monitor KPIs, player behaviour, and live metrics
  • Collaborate with engineering to define requirements for economy tuning tools
  • Communicate design intentions clearly across teams
  • Provide leadership and mentorship to fellow designers
Good to have:
  • A passion for racing games or motorsports
  • Familiarity with mobile character gacha games
  • Have played or have familiarity with CSR2
Perks:
  • Competitive salary and discretionary annual bonus scheme
  • 26 days holiday, plus bank holidays & 2 paid personal days
  • 6 months fully paid maternity/adoption leave and 16 weeks fully paid paternity leave
  • Pension plan, with a double matching employer contribution
  • Private medical & dental insurance and healthcare cash plan
  • Life insurance, personal accident insurance and income protection
  • Mental health and neurodiversity support programs
  • Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan
  • Fitness reimbursement plan, worth £600 per annum
  • Flexible working hours
  • Weekly happy hours, seasonal parties and monthly social events
  • Annual rail season ticket advance and cycle to work scheme

Job Details

Who We Are:

At NaturalMotion, we make games that wow people. We innovate to create previously impossible experiences that would not exist without us. We take pride in making titles that reach a large audience and creating communities that last. For the past seven years, NaturalMotion Studios has been named one of the Best Places to Work in the UK games industry by gamesindustry.biz. We are proudly part of the Zynga & Take-Two Interactive family.

Our Racing business is responsible for the CSR Racing franchise, including the #1 racing game on mobile, CSR2 and the groundbreaking next installment, CSR3. We are one of the most ambitious, successful, and creatively inclusive studio groups in the world. Based across two locations – London and Bangalore - the team loves welcoming diverse, humble, straightforward and ambitious talent, aspiring for award-winning excellence. People who want to find a place where they will be supported and encouraged to do the best work of their career.

We embrace a hybrid work environment. Within this role you will work 3 days per week in our London office and the remaining days at home.

Position Overview:

As Principal Game Designer on CSR3, you will take ownership of the game’s systems - particularly its economy and progression mechanics. Your mission is to architect and drive a robust, engaging, and sustainable game ecosystem that embraces the modern trends we see today across the industry's character Gacha collection games. This leadership role demands a balance of vision, data-informed decision-making, and hands-on collaboration with cross-disciplinary partners.

What You'll Do:

  • Systems & Economy: Lead design, tuning and evolution of CSR3’s economy, including multi-currency setups, progression loops, rewards, sinks, and monetisation systems.
  • Collection & Gacha Systems: Define and balance gacha mechanics for unlocking and upgrading vehicles, parts, and meta resources.
  • Design Strategy: Shape long and short-term progression pacing - from new player onboarding to endgame mastery. Ensuring motivation and retention across player segments.
  • Meta Progression Design: Ensure synergy between racing gameplay and meta advancement, rewarding both skill and investment.
  • Data & Live Ops: Partner closely with Product and Analytics teams to monitor KPIs, player behaviour, and live metrics. Drive iterative tuning and real-time responses for balancing and live events.
  • Tooling & Implementation: Collaborate with engineering to define requirements for economy tuning tools, dashboards, and simulation frameworks. Participate in modelling and forecasting economically impactful scenarios.
  • Cross-Functional Leadership: Communicate design intentions clearly across teams- Game Design, Product, Monetisation, Analytics, Engineering, Live Operations. Ensure cohesive vision and smooth implementation.
  • Mentoring & Guidance: Provide leadership and mentorship to fellow designers, fostering a culture of best practices, creative pressure, and collaborative excellence.

What You Bring:

  • Demonstrate experience in systems/economy design for live F2P mobile or mid-core titles - preferably with economy ownership in a shipped game.
  • Strong quantitative acumen - advanced Excel, modelling, numeracy; scripting or database tooling experience is a plus.
  • Deep understanding of F2P psychology and monetisation mechanics - comfortable balancing business and player satisfaction.
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a proven ability to work effectively across disciplines.

Bonus Points:

  • A passion for racing games or motorsports is a nice-to-have but not essential.
  • Familiarity with mobile character gacha games.
  • Have played or have familiarity with CSR2.

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About The Company

At NaturalMotion, we make games that wow people. Founded in 2001, we released our first title, Backbreaker Football, for the iPhone in 2009. A series of further titles followed, such as NFL Rivals, My Horse, and the number one grossing and award-winning game, CSR Racing, in 2012. Our current hit games include CSR Racing 2 and our first Star Wars game for mobile and Nintendo Switch, Star Wars: Hunters™. For the past seven years, NaturalMotion Studios has been named as one of the Best Places to Work in the UK games industry by gamesindustry.biz.

London, England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)

London, England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)

London, England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)

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