Lead Gameplay Animator

PLAYGROUND GAMES LTD; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Lead Gameplay Animator to join their talented team in creating a new classic in the action RPG genre. In this pivotal role, you will manage and inspire the animation team, ensuring the highest quality standards are met while delivering exceptional gameplay animations. Collaborating closely with the Art Director, you will drive continuous improvement in animation techniques and foster strong interdepartmental relationships. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to world-class games in a supportive and inclusive environment that values creativity and diversity.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in gameplay animation, including character movement and combat.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of managing animation teams.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain animation benchmarks to ensure visual quality.
• Lead and mentor the animation team, setting objectives and conducting evaluations.

Skills

Animation Principles

Gameplay Animation

Leadership Skills

Communication Skills

Technical Understanding of Game Engines

Motion Capture Integration

Tools

Maya

3ds Max

Blender

Job description

Playground Games is looking for a Lead Gameplay Animator to join our talented Fable team in Leamington Spa.

ABOUT US:

As a first-party Xbox Game Studio, we are passionate about making genre-defining games that are accessible, beautiful, and, most of all, fun. We are excited to be rebooting the much-loved Fable franchise and are expanding our diverse team to create a new classic in the action RPG genre.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

As Lead Gameplay Animator, you will manage and inspire our animation team while working closely with the Art Director to establish and maintain the highest quality animation standards throughout production. You'll be responsible for delivering exceptional gameplay animations that enhance the player experience while ensuring technical requirements and project deadlines are met.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

1. Establish and maintain animation benchmarks in collaboration with the Art Director to ensure consistent visual quality
2. Lead and mentor the animation team, providing guidance, setting objectives, and conducting performance evaluations
3. Plan and prioritize team-wide animation tasks, balancing quality with technical requirements and deadlines
4. Support team growth through recruitment, skill development, and process improvement initiatives
5. Foster strong relationships across departments and proactively resolve team-wide challenges
6. Drive continuous improvement in animation tools and techniques
7. Collaborate with outsource partners to create high quality animation assets

WHAT YOU'LL BRING:

1. Deep understanding of animation principles and expertise in industry-standard software (Maya, 3ds Max, Blender)
2. Proven experience in gameplay animation, including character movement, combat, and environmental interactions
3. Strong leadership skills with a track record of managing and mentoring animation teams
4. Excellent communication abilities and experience presenting to stakeholders
5. Solid technical understanding of game engines and animation constraints
6. Experience with motion capture integration and implementation
7. Background in AAA game development or similar large-scale projects
8. Ability to adapt to changing project needs while maintaining high-quality standards

This is a fantastic opportunity to make world-class games with an established, talented, and collaborative team at one of the industry’s most exciting first-party game studios.

Playground Games is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, we believe that diversity and inclusion fuels creativity. We are dedicated to creating a safe, comfortable and welcoming working environment.

We strive to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices of our team members. It drives our innovation and connects us closer to our players. We are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion across age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

At Playground Games we recognise the importance of self-development, career progression, well-being and retention of our colleagues. We celebrate difference and welcome everyone to join us and to be themselves at work.

If you require any reasonable accommodation to apply for this position, please contact us on [e-mail]