Remote Senior Game Narrative Designer

Placements24; Polokwane; Hybrid; ZAR 1,482,000 - 2,141,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Generous paid time off

Home office stipend

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Game Narrative Designer for a fully remote role. You will craft immersive worlds, develop lore, and write dialogue that drives player emotion and narrative agency.

You will lead narrative initiatives, mentor writers, collaborate with designers, artists, and audio, and ensure narrative integration across gameplay systems while maintaining a consistent voice.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in game narrative design, with 3+ years in senior/lead roles on shipped titles.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating narrative work in video games.
• Proven ability to develop complex narratives, characters, and dialogue.
• Deep understanding of interactive storytelling principles.
• Familiarity with Unreal Engine/Unity and scripting is a plus.
• Excellent collaboration and remote teamwork skills.
• Experience leading narrative initiatives and mentoring writers.

Responsibilities

• Create overarching narrative frameworks, lore, backstories, and plots.
• Write in-game dialogue, scripts, and narrative content.
• Design narrative quests integrated with gameplay systems.
• Collaborate with designers, artists, and audio to ensure coherence.
• Guide the narrative vision and provide feedback.
• Develop character bios, narrative bibles, and documentation.
• Iterate narratives based on playtests.
• Maintain consistent tone and lore across content.
• Mentor junior narrative designers.
• Stay updated on trends in game narrative.

Skills

Narrative design

Storytelling

World-building

Dialogue writing

Mentoring

Remote collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing or related field

Equivalent extensive professional experience

Tools

Unreal Engine

Unity

Scripting languages

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a globally recognized independent game studio renowned for its story-rich RPGs and narrative-driven adventures, is seeking an exceptional Remote Senior Game Narrative Designer. This position is pivotal in crafting compelling worlds, intricate plots, and memorable characters that form the emotional core of our client's games. You will be responsible for developing narrative frameworks, writing dialogue, designing quests with narrative impact, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure the story is seamlessly integrated into gameplay mechanics and player experience. The ideal candidate is a master storyteller with a deep understanding of interactive narrative and a proven ability to create immersive, engaging player journeys. This is a fully remote position, offering flexibility and the opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking games from anywhere.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement overarching narrative frameworks, including world-building, lore, character backstories, and plotlines.
• Write high-quality dialogue, in-game text, cinematic scripts, and other narrative content.
• Design narrative quests and events that are deeply integrated with gameplay systems and player agency.
• Collaborate closely with game designers, level designers, artists, and audio teams to ensure narrative coherence and impact.
• Champion the narrative vision throughout the development process, providing clear guidance and feedback.
• Contribute to the creation of character profiles, narrative bibles, and other documentation.
• Iterate on narrative elements based on playtesting feedback and team input.
• Maintain consistency in tone, voice, and lore across all narrative content.
• Mentor junior narrative designers and contribute to the growth of the narrative team.
• Stay informed about trends and best practices in game narrative and interactive storytelling.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing, English, Game Design, Film, or a related field, or equivalent extensive professional experience.
• A minimum of 6 years of experience in game narrative design, with at least 3 years in a senior or lead role on shipped titles.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional writing skills and successful narrative design for video games.
• Proven experience in developing complex narrative structures, compelling characters, and engaging dialogue.
• Deep understanding of interactive storytelling principles and techniques.
• Familiarity with game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity) and scripting languages is a significant plus.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in a remote team environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills related to narrative integration with gameplay.
• A passion for video games and a deep appreciation for narrative artistry.
• Experience in leading narrative initiatives and mentoring other writers is highly valued.

Benefits

• Our client offers a highly competitive salary, reflecting the senior level and remote nature of this position.
• Benefits include comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, generous paid time off, annual performance bonuses, and a home office stipend.
• Employees have access to cutting-edge tools and technologies, and opportunities for professional development, including virtual conferences and training.
• This role provides ultimate flexibility, allowing you to work from anywhere while contributing to a world-class gaming studio known for its innovative and immersive experiences.