Design Director, Battle Pass

Epic Games; Cary (NC); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Comprehensive health care

401k with competitive match

Free therapy and coaching

Paid sabbatical after 7 years

Job summary

A leading game development studio in Cary, North Carolina, is seeking a Design Director to lead the vision for the Battle Pass and other game products. This role requires over 7 years of game design experience, strong analytical skills, and the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams. You will be responsible for guiding the design and ensuring the success of various player engagement products. The company values innovation and understanding player motivations in design, offering a competitive benefits package including unlimited PTO and comprehensive health care.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in game design leadership.
• Strong analytics background, adept with data streams.
• Experience with live service progression and monetization systems.
• Extensive experience with PC/Console, Mobile, F2P, and Live Service progression and monetization systems.
• A proven innovator who follows industry trends and defines new ones in pass design.
• Empathy for players and a deep understanding of player motivations and goal-oriented play.
• Interest in progression products in Fortnite, Battle Royale, or other multiplayer titles.

Responsibilities

• Lead vision and design for Battle Pass and other pass products.
• Guide design efforts and ensure product success.
• Collaborate with multiple teams to align objectives.
• Monitor and mentor the XP system team, establishing guardrails and strategy for the XP system.
• Attend playtests and live game sessions to provide feedback and identify opportunities to improve the team's work.

Skills

Game design leadership

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Understanding player motivations

Innovative thinking

Cross-team collaboration

Tools

Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN)

Job description

WHAT MAKES US EPIC?

At the core of Epic’s success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it’s building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we’re always innovating.

Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We’re constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.

DESIGN

What We Do

Put your design skills to work at a cutting‑edge company that challenges the norm. From character and level design to competitive gameplay and system design, help shape the future of interactive entertainment at Epic.

What You'll Do

Epic Games’ Fortnite team is looking for a Design Director to lead the vision for the Battle Pass, Fortnite Crew, and other pass products (e.g., Music Pass and other themed passes). You will be responsible for establishing the vision and directly owning the outcome of Passes across Fortnite. You will collaborate with peers in Game Design, UXUI, Production, Art, and QA to ensure overall product success. This role emphasizes working with leaders outside of the core Pass Team, including Art, Seasonal Design (Quest, Gameplay), UXUI, Product Management, Data Science, and Marketing, and aligning with Executive Stakeholders.

In this role, you will

• Be directly responsible for the Pass product design and success. Frame vision and goals for the larger team with an outcomes‑driven approach
• Guide design efforts for Passes to create a holistic player experience, including unlock systems, progression systems, rewards, and monetization structures, co‑leading feature development with UXUI and Product partners
• Work with both 1st party and 3rd party experiences, such as Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), to ensure progression integrity regardless of where players choose to play
• Monitor and maintain healthy play in Fortnite, including providing direction and mentoring the XP system team. Establish guardrails and a strategy for the XP system
• Attend playtests and play the live game to provide feedback, and identify practical solutions to problems and opportunities to incorporate into your team’s work

What we're looking for

• 7+ years of experience across game design as a senior leader overseeing pass‑type engagement systems; subscription experience is a plus
• Highly analytical – eager and comfortable monitoring data streams and working with Data Scientists, Analysts, and Product Managers to align on product goals
• Strong stakeholder management across the teams that make Battle Pass possible (Art & Cosmetics, Progression, Marketing, Product Management, Gameplay Design, Quest)
• Deep experience with PC / Console, Mobile, F2P, and Live Service Progression & Monetization Systems
• An innovator in the space that tracks industry trends and defines new ones, thinking abstractly in spaces without precedent to define the future of pass design. Every Pass is a new opportunity to try something new and expand impact
• Demonstrated talent for empathizing with players and a deep understanding of player motivations, forms of play, and the effects of goal setting on play
• Interest in progression products in Fortnite, Battle Royale, or other multiplayer games, with an understanding of what makes them effective

EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFE

Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well‑being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company‑wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.

ABOUT US

Epic Games spans across 25 countries with 46 studios and 4,500+ employees globally. For over 25 years, we've been making award‑winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award‑winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high‑fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world‑class talent.

Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!

Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy here.

Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here.