Game Designer Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

A Game Designer, or Narrative Designer, designs and manages all developmental and creative aspects of a video game, including the stories, settings, characters and rules. Their main duties include writing codes for video games using programming languages, testing and finding potential fixes for early versions of games and managing multiple project teams to build entertaining video games.

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Game Designer Duties and Responsibilities

A Game Designer’s duties and responsibilities can vary depending on the exact position they hold. For example, a Content Designer may work with things such as character or plot development. A Lead Designer, though, would focus more on organizing the team’s ideas, creating design documentation and creating and enforcing a project calendar. Other Designers may oversee things such as programming game mechanics, designing levels or writing dialogue.

Regardless of the specific role, Game Designers have a few general responsibilities. These include:

  • Meeting deadlines for content and game builds
  • Ensuring the team stays on budget
  • Training new team members
  • Working with clients or businesses to define and execute their product goals
  • Leading regular meetings with other designers and team members

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Game Designer Job Description Examples

 

Example 1

**
  • This position can work remotely most of the time in CA and is expected to commute to the office ONLY when it is needed.***

    *
    About the company: *
    Located in Redondo Beach, CA, GungHo Online Entertainment America Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of the Japanese game company GungHo Online Entertainment, Inc. Publishing titles across multiple platforms ranging from console to handheld and mobile, our group is comprised of veterans from various aspects of the industry brought together by one simple thing: a love of gaming.

    *
    Position Summary: *
    This position is responsible for designing both internally and externally developed games by GOEA. The position will require working closely with all members of the development team, as well as potentially members of other departments. The position will also involve taking on various tasks necessary for the success of the product.

    *
    What you will be doing: *
  • Design for internal and externally developed projects: *

  • Create design documents necessary for the implementation of features.
  • Balance parameters within games to make the game progression work.
  • Contribute ideas to the features and contents of the game with the player in mind.
  • Gather and document ideas from the team and office for future consideration and use.
  • Understand how features should work, and be able to communicate that to others.
  • Create engaging content for the game.
  • Extensively test and balance the game.
  • Create and manage a development plan for given feature or content.

  • Manage the day to day development and operation of projects*

  • Ensure team members are working effectively and efficiently.
  • Regularly communicate with junior members, and help their development.
  • Define and improve processes to help the team become more effective.
  • Share experiences and knowledge to others in order to help them learn from the experiences of others

  • General Design Sounding Board*

  • Gives feedback on a wide variety of minor game design-oriented questions or ideas.
  • Participate in brainstorming and game design or production discussions.

  • Others & Miscellaneous*

  • Performs special projects and other miscellaneous duties that are assigned by upper management.
  • Travels on business or works beyond normal work hours when necessary.
  • Attends trade shows and live events as needed (e.g. E3, Anime Expo, etc.).

    Qualification/Requirement:

  • Must have deep knowledge of Unreal

    Why you want to work here:
    At GungHo, we’re enthusiastic about creating fun games and we’re always looking for talented individuals with whom we can share our passion. We have a highly collaborative culture where everyone wants to work together to get things done!

    *
    Benefits: *

  • 100% employer-paid insurances: Health insurance (PPO Medical, Dental, and Vision), Life insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance, and Long Term Disability insurance
  • 401(k) with employer match
  • Competitive paid time off: Vacation, Personal time, Sick Leave, Holidays, and Winter Breaks.

    GungHo Online Entertainment America, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of Type: Full-time
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    Example 2

    Demiurge Studios is seeking an experienced, highly motivated, and ambitious Senior/Lead Game Designer to join our growing team in an on-site or remote capacity. You will have the unique opportunity to use your extensive game design experience to help shape the next generation of Demiurge games.

    As an experienced game designer, you will have creative ownership in everything you do. Your strong game design background and extensive experience allow you to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams to creatively solve challenging design and technical problems. You can pinpoint the key characteristics necessary for a game’s success and relentlessly prioritize to make them shine. You love games of all sorts – but your true passion is making great games that engage, surprise, and delight other players!

    Primary Responsibilities:

  • Play a key role in defining, maintaining, and communicating the creative vision for your game to ensure a fun and engaging player experience.
  • Collaborate with an agile, cross-functional team to turn the game vision into a great player experience.
  • Drive gameplay, systems, and content design through all development phases, from concept to live operations.
  • Rapidly respond to and iterate on feedback and performance indicators by providing both high-level direction and hands-on design implementation.
  • Partner with product, leadership, and stakeholders to drive the game schedule, including the roadmap and backlog.
  • Exemplify proven game design practices to the team and mentor junior designers to help them level up.

    Qualifications:

  • Extensive experience as a game designer who has worked on complete production cycles from concept to ship.
  • Deep knowledge of game theory and design best practices.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to convey designs clearly to team members, leadership and stakeholders.
  • Proactive and self-motivated with the ability to deliver high-quality designs on time.
  • Experience mentoring other game designers or serving as the lead of a feature or team.
  • Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

    Preference to Applicants With:

  • Experience working in Unreal
  • UX design experience
  • Expertise in rapid prototyping or running prototyping teams
  • Ability to do basic scripting and work in-engine
  • 3D level design experience

    About Us:
    Demiurge Studios is a rapidly growing video game developer based in Boston, MA. Creating games is our passion and we bring years of expertise to our projects. The teams at Demiurge build fun, accessible games like our hit, Marvel Puzzle Quest. We also provide co-development services to larger, best-in-industry game companies. In that capacity, Demiurge has contributed to titles such as Bioshock, Rock Band, and Mass Effect.

    Demiurge Studios is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, or Veteran status. Demiurge Studios also makes workplace accommodations for individuals with disabilities or special Type: Full-time
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    Example 3

    The Game Designer position would assist in the managing and operation of the business, with a dedicated focus towards customer experience. The employee will need an understanding of design and aesthetics to conceptualize and implement a memorable and distinctive environment for the players. This role will have direct responsibility for these elements and will manage input from management, employees and customers alike to drive innovation.

    We are a retail entertainment business, and the most popular escape room in Colorado. Our ability to delight and entertain our guests has earned over 2,000 five-star reviews on google, and an average of 4.9 to 5 stars on Google and all other major review platforms. Our customers love us because our staff makes their experience outstanding.

    We are looking for a candidate who is able to design and implement interesting new experiences to innovate our business and strive to keep EscapeWorks Denver as the top escape room in Colorado.

    The Game Designer role will be given the opportunity to succeed and excel in a uniquely creative environment, gaining valuable experience in the creation and development of an interesting new business model.

    General Responsibilities will include:
  • Creation of game design documents for new rooms and puzzles

  • Pitching new concepts with efficient, budgeted plans

  • Management of existing puzzles and decor

  • Experience with basic game design principles, and ability to learn new electronic and programming functions

  • Ability to be an expert at performing all job functions at the location: manager, game master, front desk check-in, maintenance of physical games and space, sales, and customer service.

  • Willingness to learn new skills and improve existing ones

  • Flexibility to help out remotely or in person on rare unexpected occasions

  • A strong sense of personal ownership, pride, and responsibility regarding the success of the business.

    Required Qualifications:
  • Minimum 2 years of customer service management experience

  • Familiarity with game design principles

  • Comfortable learning and executing new computer applications

  • Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills

  • Strong organizational and leadership skills

  • Ability to recruit and retain the best talent available

  • Analytical skills to understand data and stick to budgets

    Recommended Qualifications:
  • Understanding of electronics and programming

  • Previous experience in the escape room industry

  • Basic ability to repair drywall, patch and paint, and make minor repairs to office items like furniture, sinks, toilets, and doors

    Job Type: Full-time

    Pay: $17.50 - $20.00 per hour

    Benefits:
  • Paid time off
    Schedule:
  • 8 hour shift
    Supplemental Pay:
  • Bonus pay

    Ability to commute/relocate:
  • Denver, CO 80202: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

    Experience:
  • Customer Service Management: 2 years (Required)
  • Escape Room: 1 year Location: One location
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    Example 4

    About Akili
    At Akili Interactive, our mission is to ignite new hope for those living with cognitive impairment. We're bringing together world-class neuroscience with the latest technology and video game entertainment to create a new class of digital medicines, delivered through captivating video game experiences. We are out to prove that effective medicine for serious illnesses can also be fun and engaging.
    Our flagship product, EndeavorRx, is the first ever FDA-cleared prescription treatment delivered through a video game to treat children living with ADHD. This is only the beginning, as we continue to boldly challenge the status quo of today's medicine.
    Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    Akili is, by our very nature, founded on diversity. We are composed of employees from incredibly diverse industries such as gaming, software, clinical research, biotechnology, and the pharmaceutical industry, all coming together with a common mission; to challenge the status quo of medicine. Inclusivity and wellness are 2 of our foundational cultural commitments.
    Diversity and inclusion are incredibly important to all of us. We are committed to hearing all voices. Akili Interactive provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
    The Role
    We are seeking a dynamic Game Designer to join our multi-disciplinary team of creative trailblazers as we develop our growing suite of digital therapeutics that deliver clinically-validated treatment through engaging game play.
    You'll leverage your deep expertise across content, narrative and live operations to expand the skill profile of the game design function for current and future products. You'll work directly with artists, programmers, animators, and other game designers to contribute to and implement the vision of the game.
    The Game Designer will report to the Game Design Lead based in Larkspur, CA. Akilians in the Bay Area enjoy the flexibility of a predominantly-hybrid working arrangement.
    Scope

  • Partner with product, leadership, and stakeholders to drive the game schedule, including the roadmap and backlog
  • Iterate, balance, and adjust game elements and data related to systems, including economies, player progression, collectibles, etc.
  • Propose, design, and implement engaging progression mechanics
  • Create and maintain design documents to share ideas, concepts, models, and design specifications in helpful, clear formats
  • Utilize key performance indicators, user testing, and internal feedback to inform design solutions and modify the game mechanics accordingly
  • Stay current with and deconstruct game design trends, patterns, and consumer preferences

    We're Looking For

  • 5+ years experience as a game designer, with a history that includes shipping at least one mobile title in a game design role
  • Deep understanding of mobile gameplay mechanics/systems and how it works into level design
  • Experience in an Agile environment, negotiating live service deliverables
  • Experience communicating with collaborators across multiple disciplines to execute on designs from paper to final polish
  • Experience prioritizing feedback from leads, peers, and playtesters to improve gameplay
  • Experience analyzing best practices and specifying gameplay systems to achieve specific game design goals
  • Experience implementing or tuning in Unity or an equivalent tool

    At Akili, we are committed to:

  • Be Bold - We are pioneers. We take risks, embrace discomfort, aim high, and act fearlessly. We break down barriers for our patients.
  • Be Creative - We are inventors. Our success is dependent upon thinking beyond the status quo. We are extremely open-minded, take nothing for granted, and create unprecedented solutions for our patients.
  • Be Inclusive - We hear ALL voices. We encourage all input, embracing our strengths and leveraging our differences, and treat each other (and our patients) with utmost respect.
  • Be Accountable - We own it. We take responsibility for our own work and the success of our colleagues. We make, and keep our commitments. Our patients are counting on us to hold each other to the highest standard.
  • Be Well -We improve lives. We are committed and obsessed with the health of our patients, employees, and ourselves. All in service of improving the well being of the Type: Full-time
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    What Does A Game Designer Do?

    Game Designers work for video game production companies building innovative products to either educate or entertain players. They build concepts for a game’s character and stories and pitch these ideas to executives or their clients if they work as an independent contractor.

    Once the game idea is approved, they’ll collaborate with and lead teams of Artists, Animators, Sound Engineers and Programmers to build games audiences will enjoy. They’ll regularly test prototypes and provide notes to designers on ways to add fixes to the games they’re creating.

    Game Designer Skills and Qualifications

    Many Designers come from a background in video games, so they’ll have experience in areas like level design or programming. However, computer science skills aren’t essential. A good Designer may only need to understand the basics of the team’s preferred programming language. Other important skills and qualifications for a Game Designer include:

    • Problem-solving skills
    • Technical writing skills
    • Written and oral communication skills
    • Listening skills
    • Organization skills
    • Time management skills
    • Teamwork skills

    Game Designer Salary Expectations

    According to salary estimates from over 400 Indeed users, employees and job postings, the average pay for Game Designers in the United States is approximately $11 per hour. This works out to roughly $23,000 per year for a full-time employee.

    Game Designer Education and Training Requirements

    Video Game Designers typically have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as computer engineering or computer programming. Candidates may also complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree in game design. While there are no industry standard certifications or training requirements for Game Designers, applicants may have technical certificates in certain programming languages or software applications.

    While working on a bachelor’s or master’s degree, students will complete courses in computer literacy, design principles and design applications. It’s also common for Game Designers to develop a portfolio of work while they’re completing a degree. This portfolio should include several small games or game concepts, demonstrating their ability to craft ideas and complete projects.

    Game Designer Experience Requirements

    Game Designers typically have several years of experience in other video game roles. They may start out in quality assurance testing or programming and transition into design roles after gaining five years of experience or more. Candidates with design degrees, however, may find work right out of college. Designers with few years of experience may only oversee one aspect of a game’s design, such a level design or sound design.

    Job Description Samples for Similar Positions

    If you aren’t finding everything you’re looking for with this job description sample, expand your research to include a few similar roles. These are a few similar positions you can review to strengthen your job posting:

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    Frequently asked questions about Game Designers

     

    What makes a good Game Designer?

    A great Game Designer should have extensive experience both playing and building video games, as they should be passionate about ways to improve these games and they must know what players want in a solid game. Since they’re regularly managing the design and production process of a video game, strong candidates should have effective leadership and task delegation skills. The ideal candidate should also have advanced knowledge in coding languages, like C++ and Java. 

     

    What's the difference between a Game Designer and a Game Developer?

    While both the Game Designer and Game Developer are a crucial part of the video game creation process, their responsibilities differ. The Game Designer usually comes up with the initial idea and storyline for the game and builds a plan for their team to follow to help design and implement it. 

    The Game Developer is usually on this team and works primarily on making the Game Designer’s vision come to life by converting the design team’s objectives into an entertaining gaming format using coding languages and advanced technical knowledge. The Game Designer usually works with the Game Developer to build the game, but also spends a portion of their time overseeing and managing other elements of the design and implementation process.

     

    Do Game Designers have different responsibilities in different industries?

    Game Designers can choose to work in certain specialties or genres, or they can work in a general role and manage video games in several different genres. Game Designers who work in the casual gaming industry build games targeted toward players of all ages and skill levels. Multiplayer online Game Designers work closely with story building games and building online worlds. Other Game Designers create handheld games and format their visual elements to be optimized for handheld devices.

     

    Who reports to a Game Designer?

    Game Designers are usually in charge of development and design teams. They’ll typically assign and delegate tasks to these employees, who will come to the Game Designer with any questions or concerns about their duties. These Artists, Sound Engineers and Programmers will regularly report to the Game Designer with updates on the game and will ask them for assistance if they’re having problems with the design or interpreting the Game Designer’s intentions and ideas for the game. 

    A Game Designer may also have a Junior Game Designer on staff to directly assist them in the game design process. They usually complete smaller clerical tasks to free up the Game Designer’s time to focus on bigger picture items. The Game Designer often acts as a mentor for the Junior Game Designer and teaches them best practices for designing an impressive and quality video game.

    Job Description Examples

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