Gameplay Designer - Studio Elevation

nDreams Ltd; Farnborough; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading VR game development company is seeking a creative Gameplay Designer in Farnborough, UK. You'll design and prototype engaging gameplay systems, collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams to enhance player experiences. Ideal candidates have 2-4 years in gameplay design, proficiency in Unity or Unreal, and a portfolio showcasing their work. This role offers a chance to impact immersive game worlds, with perks like flexible working and private health care.

Benefits

Regular team and company events

Free drinks, fruit or food

Flexible working

Private Medical/Dental healthcare

Stock Options

Qualifications

• 2-4 years of professional experience in a gameplay or systems design role.
• Strong understanding of player feedback and moment-to-moment gameplay.
• Comfortable prototyping and iterating using scripting or visual tools.

Responsibilities

• Design and prototype gameplay systems, mechanics, and features.
• Collaborate with programmers and artists to implement gameplay elements.
• Balance and tune gameplay for a satisfying player experience.
• Create and maintain clear design documentation.
• Work with QA to identify and resolve gameplay bugs.
• Contribute to playtests and incorporate feedback into design improvements.

Skills

Gameplay or systems design experience

Understanding of game mechanics

Experience with game engines like Unity or Unreal

Prototyping skills

Cross-disciplinary teamwork

Communication skills

Portfolio of designed gameplay systems

Experience with combat and AI systems

Tools

Unity

Unreal Engine

Job description

We're looking for a creative and systems‑minded Gameplay Designer to join our team and help shape the moment‑to‑moment experience of our games. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with a strong understanding of player interaction, pacing, and mechanics to contribute to the design of engaging, responsive gameplay in immersive worlds. As a Gameplay Designer, you'll work closely with design, code, and art teams to prototype, implement, and refine gameplay systems that feel great to play. You'll be involved in everything from combat and traversal to player feedback and progression, ensuring that every mechanic supports the overall vision of the game.

Responsibilities

• Design and prototype gameplay systems, mechanics, and features.
• Collaborate with programmers and artists to implement and iterate on gameplay elements, such as combat and AI systems.
• Balance and tune gameplay to ensure a satisfying player experience.
• Create and maintain clear design documentation.
• Work with QA to identify and resolve gameplay bugs and issues.
• Contribute to playtests and incorporate feedback into design improvements.
• Ensure gameplay systems align with the game's tone, pacing, and narrative.
• Support the development of tools and workflows that improve design efficiency.

About Us

nDreams is the world's biggest and most experienced VR game developer and publisher. Headquartered in Farnborough, UK, we are the studio behind groundbreaking titles including Synapse, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, Phantom: Covert Ops, Far Cry: Dive Into Insanity, and Fracked. We also have a dedicated and extremely experienced publishing team to partner with the industry's brightest developers on projects ranging from the critically acclaimed Little Cities to PowerWash Simulator VR.

Skills you'll need

• Has 2‑4 years of professional experience in a gameplay or systems design role.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of game mechanics, player feedback, and moment‑to‑moment gameplay.
• Has experience working with game engines such as Unity or Unreal.
• Can prototype and iterate quickly using scripting or visual tools.
• Is comfortable working in a cross‑disciplinary team.
• Has excellent communication and documentation skills.
• Has a portfolio or examples of gameplay systems they've designed or contributed to.
• Experience with combat and AI systems.

Nice to haves

• Familiarity with level design or narrative‑driven gameplay.
• Unreal sequencer experience

We are nDreams - creators of some of the world's most immersive VR games. You might know us from Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, Synapse, Phantom: Covert Ops, Fracked, FRENZIES, Wreckin Racoons, or our latest adventure, Reach. From humble beginnings as an independent studio, we've grown into a leading VR developer, combining ambitious projects and global scale with a personal, caring touch.

We believe the best workplaces and games are created by diverse, happy and safe teams. We're committed to building a culture centred on respect, wellbeing and balance. It's crucial we make our games and industry more accessible to underrepresented communities. We strive to live this through the people we hire, the experiences we create and the causes we support.

What we offer

• Regular team and company events
• Free drinks, fruit or food
• Flexible working
• Private Medical/Dental healthcare
• Stock Options