Lead Game Narrative Designer

Placements24; Mossel Bay; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Professional development

State-of-the-art tools

Employee wellbeing programs

Competitive salary

Attending industry events

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Game Narrative Designer to shape stories and immersive worlds for upcoming projects. You will guide narrative vision, develop character arcs, craft plotlines, and ensure consistency across gameplay, art, and audio while collaborating with designers, artists, and engineers.

The role requires 7+ years in narrative design or game writing, proven leadership, exceptional writing, and proficiency with Unreal Engine or Unity.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in narrative design or game writing.
• Proven leadership of narrative design teams.
• Strong portfolio of narrative work.

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee the overarching narrative design for game projects, including plot, characters, lore, and world-building.
• Write dialogue, in-game text, cutscene scripts, and other narrative content.
• Collaborate with design, art, and audio to integrate narrative with gameplay.
• Lead and mentor a team of narrative designers and writers.
• Define and maintain the tone, style, and voice of the game's narrative.
• Create narrative design documents, outlines, and flowcharts.

Skills

Narrative design

Storytelling

Team leadership

Game writing

Interactive storytelling

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a highly respected and innovative game development studio, is seeking a passionate and experienced Lead Game Narrative Designer to shape the compelling stories and immersive worlds of their upcoming projects. This is a unique opportunity to join a talented team and significantly influence the player experience through masterful storytelling. You will be responsible for guiding the narrative vision, developing rich character arcs, crafting engaging plotlines, and ensuring narrative consistency across all game elements. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of interactive storytelling, excellent writing skills, and proven leadership capabilities. You will collaborate closely with designers, artists, and engineers to weave narrative seamlessly into gameplay mechanics and overall game design. This role requires a creative mind with a strategic approach to building believable and emotionally resonant game worlds that captivate players from beginning to end.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee the overarching narrative design for game projects, including plot, characters, lore, and world-building.
• Write compelling dialogue, in-game text, cutscene scripts, and other narrative content.
• Collaborate with other departments to ensure narrative elements are integrated effectively with gameplay, art, and audio.
• Lead and mentor a team of narrative designers and writers, providing feedback and direction.
• Define and maintain the tone, style, and voice of the game's narrative.
• Create narrative design documents, outlines, and flowcharts to communicate story progression and content.
• Work closely with level designers to ensure environmental storytelling complements the main narrative.
• Playtest games to evaluate narrative pacing, character development, and player engagement.
• Stay informed about industry trends in game narrative and interactive storytelling.

Requirements

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in narrative design or game writing, with significant contributions to shipped titles.
• Proven experience leading narrative design teams or projects.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with a strong portfolio of narrative work.
• Deep understanding of interactive storytelling principles and techniques.
• Familiarity with game development tools and engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Ability to create detailed narrative design documentation.
• Strong collaborative and communication skills, with the ability to articulate creative vision effectively.
• Experience with branching narratives and player choice mechanics is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing, Literature, Game Design, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and performance incentives.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous paid time off and company holidays.
• Opportunities for professional development and attending industry events.
• Relocation assistance available for qualified candidates.
• Access to state-of-the-art development tools and technologies.
• Work on ambitious and critically acclaimed game titles.
• Employee wellness programs and a supportive work culture.