Senior Narrative Designer - Immersive Storytelling

Placements24; Bloemfontein; Hybrid; ZAR 500,000 - 800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Hybrid work model

Creative development studio

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Senior Narrative Designer in Bloemfontein for a hybrid role shaping interactive narratives. You will craft engaging backstories, write dialogue, and define lore, while collaborating with designers and artists to weave narratives into gameplay.

The position emphasizes player agency and emergent storytelling across projects. The ideal candidate has 5+ years of experience, a strong portfolio, and excellent writing skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in narrative design or game writing.
• Strong portfolio with branching dialogue and world-building.
• Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills.
• Experience with narrative design tools or scripting for interactive storytelling.
• Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams in a hybrid environment.

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, write storylines, backstories, and dialogue for interactive experiences.
• Design and implement branching narratives and player choice systems.
• Collaborate with designers to integrate narrative into gameplay mechanics.
• Create narrative design documents, flowcharts, and outlines.
• Work with voice actors to ensure quality narrative delivery.
• Define tone, voice, and lore, ensuring consistency across elements.
• Iterate on content based on playtests and feedback.
• Mentor junior writers and designers in narrative craft.
• Stay abreast of trends in narrative design and interactive storytelling.
• Contribute to production planning and narrative scope management.

Skills

Narrative design

Game writing

Storytelling

Team collaboration

Hybrid work experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in English, Creative Writing, Game Design, or related field

Tools

Narrative tools

Scripting languages

Visual scripting

Job description

About the Role

Our client, an innovative studio at the forefront of interactive entertainment and emergent narrative experiences, is seeking a Senior Narrative Designer . This role is based in Bloemfontein, Free State , and operates on a hybrid model, combining in-office collaboration with remote flexibility. You will be instrumental in crafting compelling storylines, developing complex characters, and designing narrative structures for cutting-edge interactive projects. This position requires a master storyteller with a deep understanding of player agency, branching narratives, and emergent gameplay. You will work closely with game designers, writers, and artists to weave intricate narratives that resonate with players and adapt to their choices. The ideal candidate is a creative force, passionate about the future of storytelling in interactive media.

Key Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, develop, and write engaging storylines, character backstories, and dialogue for interactive experiences.
• Design and implement branching narrative structures and player choice systems.
• Collaborate with game designers to integrate narrative elements seamlessly into gameplay mechanics.
• Create detailed narrative design documents, flowcharts, and outlines for the team.
• Work with voice actors and script supervisors to ensure quality narrative delivery.
• Define the tone, voice, and lore of the project, ensuring consistency across all narrative elements.
• Iterate on narrative content based on playtesting feedback and team input.
• Mentor junior writers and narrative designers.
• Stay abreast of trends and innovations in narrative design and interactive storytelling.
• Manage narrative scope and contribute to production planning for the narrative team.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in narrative design or game writing, with a proven track record of shipping successful interactive titles.
• A strong portfolio showcasing compelling narrative work, including examples of branching dialogue, character development, and world-building.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and communication skills.
• Experience with narrative design tools, scripting languages, or visual scripting for interactive storytelling.
• Deep understanding of storytelling principles, character arcs, and player psychology.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams in a hybrid work environment.
• Experience in world-building and lore creation for fictional universes.
• Bachelor's degree in English, Creative Writing, Game Design, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Familiarity with game development pipelines and methodologies.
• Must be comfortable working in a hybrid model, based in or able to commute to Bloemfontein, Free State .

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunity to shape the narratives of innovative interactive projects.
• Hybrid work flexibility promoting work-life balance.
• Access to a collaborative and creative development studio.
• Professional growth opportunities and exposure to new technologies.
• Contribution to the evolving landscape of interactive storytelling.