Remote Lead Game Designer - Systems & Emergent Gameplay

Placements24; LegKraal Gate; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-first

Health and wellness benefits

Learning and development opportunities

Global collaborative team

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Lead Game Designer (Systems) to shape core gameplay, progression, and player experience for ambitious projects. This fully remote role enables collaboration with a global team from Mahikeng or any approved remote location.

You will lead designers, document detailed specifications, mentor your team, and iterate on systems with feedback, ensuring emergent gameplay and a cohesive vision across combat, economy, AI, and narrative.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of experience in game design, with 2–3 years in a lead or senior role.
• Proven track record of designing and shipping successful games, with a strong focus on systems design.
• Deep understanding of game design principles, player psychology, and emergent gameplay.
• Experience with scripting languages (e.g., Lua, Python) for prototyping is a plus.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and collaboration skills, especially in a remote environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of core game systems, including combat, progression, economy, and AI.
• Define and document detailed game design specifications for systems and mechanics.
• Collaborate closely with programmers, artists, and producers to ensure the effective implementation of game systems.
• Mentor and guide a team of game designers, fostering their professional growth and ensuring high-quality output.
• Conduct playtesting sessions, analyze feedback, and iterate on designs to improve player experience.
• Champion the game's vision and ensure creative coherence across all systems.
• Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and player expectations.
• Contribute to the overall narrative and world-building of the game.
• Effectively communicate design decisions and rationale to the wider team.
• Drive innovation in game systems design from your remote location near Mahikeng.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Systems design

Game design principles

Emergent gameplay

Remote collaboration

Documentation (GDDs)

Scripting (Lua/Python)

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Game Design or related field

Tools

Lua

Python

Job description

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Lead Game Designer (Systems) to shape core gameplay, progression, and player experience for ambitious projects. This fully remote role enables collaboration with a global team from Mahikeng or any approved remote location.

You will lead designers, document detailed specifications, mentor your team, and iterate on systems with feedback, ensuring emergent gameplay and a cohesive vision across combat, economy, AI, and narrative.