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Principal Game Designer

Principal Game Designer

Location: Redwood City, CA | Open to remote work in most US States

At Maxis, we excel at outrageous thinking. It's the fuel that inspires the best games in the world. We're creators and great storytellers. Our mission is not just about amazing our peers – it's about amazing our fans. Taking risks. Working with each other. Daring to dream big. Together, we can improve the way millions play every day.

As a Designer on The Sims, you'll report to the Design Development Director and work with a team of enthusiastic industry craftspeople from all walks of life. You will use your passion and knowledge to create incredible experiences that surprise, delight, and invite millions of gamers around the world to Play with Life.

Responsibilities

• You will advocate for and will represent the Design team to the dev team.
• You will oversee design vision and implementation, working directly with designers, producers, programmers, artists, and development.
• You will brainstorm and write designs, and provide feedback to other designers.
• You will establish gameplay experience goals for designs, and tune features to meet those goals.
• You will refine designs based on our playtests, game metrics, team input, and community feedback.
• You are a convergent thinker, using the tools and time/scope available to create unique and fun experiences for players.
• You will become an expert on the game and our community, drawing from our large, varied player base and our past games to make and defend intelligent design choices going forward.
• You have an eye for improving processes and efficiency to make life easier for the Design team and help establish best practices.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to peers and junior design staff, help them resolve complex
• problems, and growing their careers.

Qualifications

• At least 7 years of game design experience on a video game development team.
• Excellent creative sense with the ability to oversee detailed design documentation throughout a project life cycle.
• You are excited and motivated to overcome challenges with practical solutions.
• Experience leading and getting the team excited to work on it.
• Eager to explore best practices and become proficient in multiple proprietary development tools.
• Design and implementation experience with game features that focus on open-ended player creativity.
• Effective at working both autonomously and in groups of different profiles.
• Knowledge of and enthusiasm for gaming: playing, deconstructing, and creating.
• Experience with games in The Sims PC franchise and other simulation games.
• Desirable Skill: Shipped a AAA HD title.
• Desirable Skill: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent.