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Game Prototype Designer
2 years ago
Pixelberry Studios is a top mobile games developer, creating fun and engaging games with heart for over nine years. We’re a division of Nexon, one of the Top 10 largest gaming companies in the world. Our studio is 3-for-3 launching games into the App Store's Top 25 Grossing chart. Our market-leading, award-winning mobile game, Choices: Stories You Play, broke into the Top 5 in the App Store. Our vision for success is based around innovative game design, diversity, and putting our players first!
We've seen firsthand the positive impact that games can make. Because of that, we leverage our commercial success to make a real difference: we have partnered with numerous non-profits, saved actual lives with our games, and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities. Players love our games’ focus on racial, gender, sexual, and identity diversity while holding us accountable when they expect more.
Some of us at Pixelberry have worked together for over 10 years through multiple companies. As a result, we strive to create long-term relationships that help sustain our success. We continue to add new individuals who aren’t just searching for another stepping stone but a place to put down roots and actively make a difference. We love what we do and are looking for passionate, like-minded people who want to grow, learn, and make a difference together.
SUMMARY OF POSITION
Pixelberry Studios is looking for a Game Prototype Designer. We are considering a spectrum of mid to senior experience levels in order to find the perfect fit for this role; and we offer a competitive compensation package.
As a founding member of Pixelberry’s new game incubation team, you'll work closely with our Game Director to
- Prototype gameplay loops at increasing levels of fidelity
- Iterate quickly on promising concepts
- Solve problems and explore possibilities
- Have and make fun!
This is an opportunity that offers creative involvement from start to ship, and beyond. You'll work in a small team to ideate, prototype, test, and refine the next generation of Pixelberry titles.
Our headquarters are in Mountain View, CA but we can accommodate a remote work environment for a candidate from the following states: California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington.
Currently, all Pixelberry staff work remotely with the option to work in-office, if desired.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop the creative team’s vision and ideas into compelling, delightful, cohesive, and balanced game systems
- Drive the methodology and workflow of design exploration, experimentation, and refinement
- Help rapid-prototype game mechanics and systems hands-on in Unity Engine
- Perform and present competitive analyses to help same-page the team
- Collaborate with product, engineering, and art teams to unify the game experience and demonstrate it to stakeholders
- Validate hypotheses with quantitative and qualitative user testing
- Be able to work creatively within business timelines, establishing milestones and transparently communicating progress and estimations to executive team
- Review and learn from feedback to improve the next demo
- Interview and onboard new Game R&D team members to help grow the team
- Promote an inclusive, high-morale, and high-functioning work environment
REQUIREMENTS
- 3+ years of studio experience in game systems design, with 1+ shipped title
- Strong expertise in player-centric design
- Familiarity with the market leaders in our space and their systems
- Strong, effective, and respectful communication skills
- Excellent time management
- Ability to collaborate creatively and work effectively under remote work situations
PLUSSES
- Experience with Unity Engine
- Experience working on casual, free-to-play, mobile, and/or female-targeted games
- Experience in rapid prototyping or with game incubation teams
- Experience with one or more scripting languages
BENEFITS & PERKS
- Competitive salary
- High level of autonomy and freedom
- Rich & flexible health, disability, and employee assistance offerings to meet the needs of a diverse workforce
- 401(K) with matching program
- Paid Year-End Break
- For local employees that elect to work in-studio, a relaxed office environment with free food and snacks
- Virtual escape rooms, video game nights, trivia parties, and other team-building activities throughout the year!
HOW THIS JOB IS DIFFERENT
- Learn about the business side of mobile games. Our team is very good at what we do.
- Good work/life balance. We are family-friendly and look at things in the long term.
- That warm fuzzy feeling that you’re not just making a difference at a company, but in the lives of people all over the world.
Pixelberry Studios values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, Black/BIPOC, LGBT individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply. Pixelberry is also an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.
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