Senior Game Systems Designer: Shape Gameplay & Progression

Placements24; East London; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health insurance

Generous PTO

Relocation assistance

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 in East London, Eastern Cape, is seeking a Senior Game Systems Designer to conceptualize and implement engaging gameplay systems for upcoming titles. You will shape core loops, progression, and combat mechanics, collaborating with engineers, artists, and designers to craft cohesive experiences.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years in game design, a strong portfolio of shipped titles, and deep knowledge of player psychology and progression systems.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in game design with a focus on systems design.
• Portfolio demonstrating shipped titles and complex game systems.
• Strong understanding of game mechanics, player psychology, and progression models.
• Proficiency in design documentation and prototyping tools.

Responsibilities

• Design, document, and iterate core gameplay systems (combat, progression, economy, abilities).
• Create design documents, flowcharts, and prototypes to communicate systems.
• Collaborate with engineers, artists, and designers to integrate systems.
• Balance mechanics for fair, challenging, rewarding gameplay.
• Mentor junior designers and contribute to a collaborative team.

Skills

Game design

Systems design

Portfolio

Unity

Unreal Engine

Education

Bachelor's degree (Game Design / CS / Psychology / related)

Tools

Spreadsheets

Flowcharts

Basic scripting

Job description

Placements24 in East London, Eastern Cape, is seeking a Senior Game Systems Designer to conceptualize and implement engaging gameplay systems for upcoming titles. You will shape core loops, progression, and combat mechanics, collaborating with engineers, artists, and designers to craft cohesive experiences.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years in game design, a strong portfolio of shipped titles, and deep knowledge of player psychology and progression systems.