Senior Gameplay Designer (Skeleton Key)

At Wizards of the Coast, we connect people around the world through play and imagination. From our genre defining games like Magic: The Gathering® and Dungeons & Dragons® to our growing multiverse, we continue to innovate and build new ways to foster friendship and connection. That’s where you come in!

Skeleton Key is a new game development studio and division of Wizards of the Coast. We are a group of industry veterans who are guided by the belief that empowering our teams and providing the proper time, tools, and support we can foster a creative culture where everyone can do their best work.

Our new studio is located in Austin, TX, and we are looking for a passionate and dedicated Senior Gameplay Designer to join us and bring our first AAA game to life. We offer fully remote, hybrid, or in-office options for day-to-day work.

Reporting to the Game Design Director you will play a meaningful role as we prototype and kick off pre-production. You will be responsible for some of the game’s moment-to-moment gameplay mechanics and systems, driving them from concept all the way to ship, specifically for combat.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience building exciting gameplay on other AAA titles, understand the nuances of making player actions feel compelling and impactful, and be passionate about horror.

What You'll Do:

• Own and drive core gameplay systems such as weapons, player actions, player movement, cameras, controls, Ai behaviors, and enemies from concept to ship.
• Partner with design, engineering, animation, audio, VFX, and other collaborators/partners to bring player systems in-game to life and keep everyone informed throughout development.
• Craft compelling moment-to-moment gameplay that is high quality and that encourages the team to achieve the same high caliber.
• Collaborate with UX Research to perform industry/competitive analysis and stay updated on the latest innovative trends and player expectations.
• Create approachable and accessible gameplay that supports the vision while allowing as many players to enjoy our game as possible.
• Author and maintain comprehensive design documentation for all owned gameplay and combat features.
• Regularly play the game and provide valuable feedback to teammates to help improve the game.

What You'll Bring:

• 5+ years of experience in Gameplay and/or Combat Design.
• At least 1 shipped AAA titles with significant contributions on successful gameplay/combat features or mechanics.
• Must have expertise in at least 2 of the following: controls, player movement, weapons, abilities, cameras, AI, melee, exploration mechanics.
• Experience working in Unreal or other modern game engines.
• Experience tuning sophisticated systems (ex – aim assist, camera systems, AI Behavior trees, overall game balance, progression and RPG mechanics).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Self-sufficient and self-motivated, able to push features forward but also know when to ask for mentorship or help.

We are an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer

The above is intended to describe the general content of and the requirements for satisfactory performance in this position. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of the duties, responsibilities, or requirements of the position.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. If you are selected to move forward in our application process and need to request an accommodation, please let your recruiter or coordinator know.