Game Designer

Maliyo Games seeks a creative force to design video games from conception through release and beyond. This position will create the storyline, develop the characters, and define the objectives that drive the user experience and game, ensuring individual appeal and marketability. The Designer requires a mix of creative, managerial, and technical responsibilities to ensure team dynamics allow for releasing the games on schedule and budget.

Company Overview

Maliyo is a Lagos-based game development studio that creates African-inspired games for mobile users with over 40 games in our portfolio. Maliyo infuses the continent’s lively culture and experiences into everything we create. Our goal is to embed Africa’s vibrant culture into video games through storylines, character development, immersive environments, captivating sounds, and strong visuals.

Essential Functions:

• Conceptualize and develop characters, rules, settings, and stories for new and prototype games
• Construct level structure
• Write storyline, character bios, dialogue, plot points, and game objective
• Storyboard and script games
• Conceive all elements of the game including rules, setting, objects, vehicles, weapons, flora, fauna, etc.
• Direct action sequences
• Define user interface, menus, and controls
• Generate the Game Design Document (GDD)
• Define the user experience
• Work with programmers to design the back end of the game
• Research the target audience to understand what they want in the game
• Produce sound effects, dialogue, musical score, sound mix, and sound edit
• Manage quality assurance testing, and follow up on feedback
• Oversee the marketing and distribution roll-out
• Ongoing development and versions of the game

Requirements

• Proven creativity in designing games, characters, storylines, and visual style.
• Solid knowledge of the gaming industry.
• Basic knowledge of 3D animation, illustration, programming languages, and system building.
• Demonstrated experience in project management, including task assignment and budgeting.
• Prior app development experience in Android or iOS is desirable.
• Superb analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities.
• Great organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to contribute to innovation in game design.
• Personal commitment to improving knowledge and skills with a proactive and enthusiastic approach.
• Work requires continued attention to detail in establishing priorities and meeting deadlines.
• Must be able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously within a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated flexibility and ability to work with cross-functional teams in-person and remotely.
• Portfolio preferred.