Senior Narrative Designer (Remote)

Placements24; Gauteng; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Narrative Designer for a fully remote team crafting a story-driven RPG with deep lore. You will shape world, characters, and overarching plot, writing dialogues, backstories, and quest text, integrating narrative into gameplay.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in narrative design or game writing, a strong portfolio, and experience with engines and scripting. Remote collaboration and deadline discipline are essential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in narrative design or game writing, RPGs or story-intensive games.
• Strong portfolio with dialogue and story structure.
• Craft engaging plots, memorable characters, and rich world-building.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
• Experience with narrative design tools, game engines, and scripting languages is a plus.
• Strong understanding of player engagement and interactive storytelling.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, particularly in a remote team setting.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize, and meet deadlines in a remote work environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing, English, Journalism, Game Design, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and write compelling storylines, character arcs, and world lore for game projects.
• Design and implement narrative systems, including dialogue trees, branching narratives, and in-game storytelling elements.
• Collaborate with game designers, level designers, and artists to integrate narrative into gameplay and environments.
• Write high-quality dialogue, in-game text, item descriptions, and quest text.
• Create narrative design documents, character profiles, and lore bibles.
• Ensure consistency in tone and narrative quality across content.
• Mentor junior writers and narrative designers, providing feedback and guidance.
• Participate in narrative reviews and playtesting to refine story elements.
• Stay updated on trends and best practices in interactive storytelling and narrative design.

Skills

Storytelling

World-building

Dialogue writing

Editing

Remote collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Narrative design tools

Game engines

Scripting languages

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a critically acclaimed independent studio celebrated for its compelling storytelling, is seeking an exceptional Senior Narrative Designer to join their fully remote team. This is a unique opportunity to shape the world, characters, and overarching plot of their next ambitious project, a story-driven RPG with a deep lore. You will be instrumental in crafting engaging dialogues, intricate backstories, and immersive narrative content that resonates with players. The ideal candidate possesses a profound understanding of narrative structure, exceptional writing skills, and experience integrating story elements seamlessly within game mechanics and environments. Join a collaborative, globally distributed team and bring your storytelling prowess to life from anywhere, contributing significantly to our focus in Tembisa , South Africa.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and write compelling storylines, character arcs, and world lore for game projects.
• Design and implement narrative systems, including dialogue trees, branching narratives, and in-game storytelling elements.
• Collaborate closely with game designers, level designers, and artists to ensure narrative elements are integrated effectively into gameplay and environments.
• Write high-quality dialogue, in-game text, item descriptions, and quest text.
• Create narrative design documents, character profiles, and lore bibles.
• Ensure consistency in tone, voice, and narrative quality across all story-related content.
• Mentor junior writers and narrative designers, providing feedback and guidance.
• Participate in narrative reviews and playtesting to refine story elements.
• Stay updated on trends and best practices in interactive storytelling and narrative design.

Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in narrative design or game writing, with a focus on RPGs or story-intensive games.
• A strong portfolio showcasing exceptional writing and narrative design work, including examples of dialogue and story structure.
• Proven ability to craft engaging plots, memorable characters, and rich world-building.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
• Experience with narrative design tools, game engines, and/or scripting languages is a plus.
• Strong understanding of player engagement and interactive storytelling principles.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, particularly in a remote team setting.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and meet deadlines in a remote work environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing, English, Journalism, Game Design, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Benefits

This is a fully remote position offering a competitive salary, flexible working hours, and the opportunity to contribute to innovative narrative experiences from anywhere. Our client provides comprehensive health and wellness benefits, performance-based bonuses, and a supportive remote work culture that fosters creativity and collaboration. Enjoy generous paid time off, professional development opportunities, and the chance to make a significant impact on player stories.