Senior/Lead Gameplay Designer

Summary 

We are seeking a Senior/Lead Gameplay Designer to be a vision holder and hands-on contributor for combat, character, controls, and camera design in an open world action-adventure game. The person in this role will lead a team of multi-disciplinary specialists to deliver best-in-class combat and third person action across multiple game modes. 

Core Responsibilities 

• Drive the design and implementation of all moment-to-moment player-feel gameplay in alignment with direction from a senior leadership team. 
• Establish a gameplay vision that serves the player fantasies and creative direction, then evangelize that vision to the broader team. 
• Work closely with animation, engineering, and other disciplines to create world class enemy design and player progression systems. 
• Rally designers, engineers, animators, artists, and external co-dev partners to deliver playable progress at regular intervals as part of a rapid iterative process. 
• Incorporate feedback from peers, play-tests, and senior leadership to refine and pivot as the game demands. 
• Go beyond documentation and management to lead from the trenches, with hands-on contributions to the playable experience. 
• Establish metrics and best practices for environment and encounter design to support optimal gameplay. 

Core Qualifications 

• 5 or more years of experience in combat design for an action game. 
• Experience developing both melee and shooting action mechanics. 
• Sensitivity to animation systems and how they relate to combat and action gameplay design. 
• Awareness of casual gamers’ needs and ability to reduce barriers to entry with accessible moment-to-moment gameplay. 
• High attention to detail with the ability to communicate and directly implement precision refinements that take an experience from good to great. 
• High confidence and comfort in the technical, aesthetic, and design aspects of gameplay and player-feel. 
• Recent experience with direct implementation in the form of visual scripting, animation, or other individual contributions to action gameplay. 
• Experience developing non-combat forms of action gameplay (driving, mounts, climbing, traversal, platforming, etc.) 
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams is a plus. 
• Multiplayer combat design experience is a plus. 
• Experience in UE4 or UE5 is a plus. 
• Experience working with co-development partners is a plus. 

Description  

• Full-time job with benefits.  
• Role is on-site in Santa Monica, CA.  
• Office is located near downtown Santa Monica – near metro and freeway.