Senior Game Designer — Shape Core Mechanics & Mentoring

Placements24; Vereeniging; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Health insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Placements24 in Vereeniging, South Africa, seeks a creative Senior Game Designer to shape gameplay mechanics, systems, and player experiences across upcoming titles. You will drive design direction from concept through delivery, balancing fun and challenge to engage players.

You’ll collaborate with artists, programmers, and producers, prototype ideas, document detailed designs, and playtest to refine balance and pacing.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Game Designer with shipped titles or significant contributions.
• In-depth knowledge of game genres, mechanics, and player psychology.
• Experience with game design tools and engines such as Unity or Unreal.
• Strong written and verbal communication; problem-solving and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, and iterate on core gameplay mechanics, systems, and progression.
• Create design docs with system breakdowns, feature specs, and user flows.
• Collaborate with artists and programmers to implement mechanics and ensure alignment with vision.
• Playtest extensively and refine balance, fun factor, and player experience.
• Mentor junior designers and contribute to a collaborative team environment.

Skills

Game design

Player psychology

Communication

Analytical thinking

Mentoring

Unity/Unreal Engine

Tools

Unity

Unreal Engine

Scripting languages

Job description

Placements24 in Vereeniging, South Africa, seeks a creative Senior Game Designer to shape gameplay mechanics, systems, and player experiences across upcoming titles. You will drive design direction from concept through delivery, balancing fun and challenge to engage players.

You’ll collaborate with artists, programmers, and producers, prototype ideas, document detailed designs, and playtest to refine balance and pacing.