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Senior Writer / Narrative Designer

We’re ArenaNet—we’ve created a studio that makes online worlds infused with innovation, hand-crafted excellence, and creative passion. We're not the only ones who share this passion; gamers made Guild Wars 2 the fastest selling MMO game in the West with more than 3 million copies sold in its first 9 months, and players and press have consistently called it one of the best MMOs of all time.

Our studio is built on foundations of excellence with a focus on community. We constantly innovate, unlocking the true potential of online role-playing with game-changing titles like Guild Wars 2 and beyond. The status quo is not good enough for our dedicated worldwide community of players, which is why we question the de facto industry conventions and demand more from ourselves as developers.

The role of Narrative as a discipline in the game development process is to provide context and meaning to the gameplay experience, binding all aspects of the game together into a coherent and integrated dramatic journey and cementing the emotional bond between player and game.

As our products make clear, ArenaNet is a studio that values and respects that role as essential to the development of a great and successful game project. Thus our Writers/Narrative Designers are full creative partners in that process, from the conception and ideation of IP, game projects, worlds, characters, themes, and tone; to the breaking and outlining of story and character arcs over scenes, missions, sequences, episodes, and seasons; to the writing of character bibles, story documents, and both Golden Path and Living World VO and text scripts. We collaborate intensively as parts of multidisciplinary teams to create unique and unforgettable immersive experiences for our players. This position is senior in nature.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drive and/or assist in the creation and development of IP, story, and character arcs, in collaboration with other disciplines
• Write in-game dialogue, setting or adopting established tone and distinct character voices
• Write supporting documentation to effectively communicate development of the narrative to team members in all disciplines
• Design and work with various systems for conveying story in an interactive world, including environmental props, character interactions, and systemic dialogue
• Use proprietary content creation tools to enhance story design

QUALIFICATIONS

• Expert dramatic writing skills, with a substantial track record of demonstrated proficiency in both games and at least one other narrative medium (screenwriting, playwriting, prose fiction, etc. – writing for the spoken word preferred)’
• Practical and theoretical knowledge and experience regarding the craft of dramatic storytelling across multiple media
• Demonstrable understanding of and experience in interactive and non-linear storytelling, using non-traditional and non-verbal delivery systems (e.g., environmental storytelling, in-engine storytelling without cutscenes or lore dumps, etc.)
• Passion for video games and deep knowledge of multiple genres
• Experience and development knowledge of open-world games
• Excellent communication, decision-making, and organizational skills
• Demonstrable experience in world building, character creation, story arc design, dialogue writing, voice casting, and voice direction (portfolio submission required)
• Collaborative, productive, enthusiastic attitude when working with multidisciplinary teams on story creation and implementation
• Ability to learn and use proprietary tools to create content
• Ability to work independently as part of a large, coordinated team to hit deadlines
• Insatiable intellectual curiosity
• Burning urge to create
• Unafraid to make tough calls and embrace the necessity of "killing your darlings"
• Enthusiasm for lifelong learning, leveling up, and refinement of craft

EDUCATION/TRAINING/EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent educational achievement or work experience
• Minimum of five years’ professional experience as a Narrative Designer or Writer on a game development team
• Minimum of five years’ professional experience as a writer in another narrative medium (preferably dramatic writing involving spoken dialogue; may be concurrent with game writing experience)
• Two or more shipped AAA-quality products on which you played a narrative design or writing role
• Published/produced works—games, screenplays, stage plays, comics, novels, short stories, articles, videos, or other related materials
• Deep knowledge of games, film, television, literature, comics—especially in fantasy and science-fiction genres

PLUSES

• Experience in other disciplines of game design and development—especially open-world games
• Familiarity with narrative game systems
• Light implementation experience

PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS

We ask that all applications include the following:

• Resume or CV that lists recent and relevant job history and responsibilities
• Cover letter that tells us something about you and why you’re applying for this position
• One or more portfolio/writing samples that showcase strong dramatic writing
  • Screenplays, teleplays, or comic scripts preferred (in that order); prose fiction or poetry acceptable (in that order)
  • Tells a complete story
  • Is at least three pages in length (any genre)