Lead Game Designer

Placements24; Randburg; Hybride; ZAR 900 000 - 1 500 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Fully remote

Bonus opportunities

Career growth

Industry tools

Résumé du poste

Placements24 is partnering with a pioneering fully remote game development studio to recruit a Lead Game Designer. This senior role demands vision, deep expertise in game mechanics and narrative design, and strong leadership to guide a talented remote team.

You will define core gameplay, iterate on player engagement, and collaborate with art, programming, and production to deliver high-quality experiences. Remote work offers flexible collaboration with a global team.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience shipping multiple titles across platforms.
• Strong leadership and remote team management skills.
• Deep understanding of gameplay mechanics and player psychology.
• Proficiency with game design documentation tools and methods.

Responsabilités

• Lead the design team in defining core game mechanics and progression.
• Oversee the end-to-end game design process from ideation to final implementation.
• Collaborate with art, programming and production for cohesive player experience.
• Create and maintain detailed design docs, flowcharts and wireframes.
• Mentor junior designers and provide constructive feedback.
• Champion player experience to ensure intuitive, engaging games.

Connaissances

Lead game design

Team leadership

Gameplay mechanics

Player psychology

UX principles

Formation

Bachelor's degree in Game Design/CS or related field

Outils

Unity

Unreal Engine

Description du poste

About the Role

Our client, a pioneering and fully remote game development studio, is seeking an experienced and visionary Lead Game Designer to spearhead the creation of our next generation of interactive entertainment. This senior role demands a deep understanding of game mechanics, player psychology, and narrative design, coupled with exceptional leadership skills to guide a talented team. You will be instrumental in defining the core gameplay experience, iterating on player engagement, and ensuring the overall quality and vision of our projects are met. As a fully remote position, this opportunity offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing you to collaborate with a diverse, global team from the comfort of your own workspace. If you are passionate about crafting immersive and innovative game worlds and possess a proven ability to lead design teams to success, this is an exceptional chance to leave your mark on the future of gaming. We are committed to fostering a creative and collaborative remote culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design team in conceptualizing, defining, and documenting core game mechanics, systems, and player progression.
• Oversee the entire game design process, from initial ideation and prototyping to balancing, iteration, and final implementation.
• Collaborate closely with art, programming, and production teams to ensure a cohesive and high-quality player experience.
• Develop and maintain detailed game design documents (GDDs), flowcharts, and wireframes.
• Mentor and guide junior game designers, providing constructive feedback and fostering their professional growth.
• Champion the player experience, ensuring games are intuitive, engaging, and fun.
• Conduct playtesting sessions and analyze player feedback to inform design decisions and improvements.
• Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in game design.
• Manage design scope and contribute to project timelines and resource planning.
• Communicate design vision effectively to all stakeholders, both within the development team and externally.

Requirements

• Extensive experience in game design, with a significant portion in a lead or senior design role, shipping multiple successful titles across various platforms.
• Proven ability to design and implement complex game mechanics and systems.
• Strong understanding of player psychology, game balancing, and user experience (UX) principles.
• Proficiency with game design documentation tools and methodologies.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate a remote team.
• Experience with scripting languages (e.g., Lua, Python) and familiarity with game engines (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine) is highly beneficial.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Passion for games and a deep understanding of diverse game genres.
• Bachelor's degree in Game Design, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience working in a fully remote development environment is a plus.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and potential for significant bonuses based on project success.
• Fully remote work structure offering maximum flexibility and work-life balance.
• Opportunity to lead the design of innovative and genre-defining games.
• Collaborate with a talented, diverse, and international team.
• Access to industry-leading tools and software.
• Opportunities for continuous learning and career advancement.
• Contribute to games enjoyed by millions worldwide.