Senior Game Designer

Summary

Join Snowed in Studios, a Keywords Studios company in Ottawa, Canada, as a Senior Game Designer! You'll collaborate with client studios on AAA game development, focusing on economy, monetization, and player retention. This role involves diverse design tasks, from system and level design to narrative development and documentation. We offer a relaxed, no-crunch environment with comprehensive benefits, including a generous leave policy, RRSP matching, and a supportive team culture. The position is remote or hybrid, requiring Ontario/Quebec residency. Apply if you have 6+ years of game design experience, a proven track record of shipped titles, and expertise in monetization strategies.

Requirements

• 6+ years professional experience in video game design and development with focus on economy, monetization and player retention features
• Shipped game title(s) on mobile, console and/or PC
• Expert knowledge of monetization trends, free to play games and best practices as well as their benefits and draw backs
• Experience overseeing or owning the analysis of game KPI's, user testing and iteration
• Very strong communication skills and the ability to clearly communicate design vision and ideas
• Experience working directly with external clients and stakeholders
• Experience with game engines such as Unity, Unreal Engine and/or proprietary game engines
• Ability to match and work within design pillars or existing IP
• Understanding of how to analyze and refine game mechanics
• Understanding of edge cases, knock-on effects and development cost of design ideas

Responsibilities

• Work closely with client studios to bring their games and features to realization
• Work with other game designers and directors to supplement mechanic, quest and narrative designs to specification
• Develop and refine monetization features within existing games
• Add to and balance existing in-game economies to increase both player satisfaction and retention
• Collaborate with stakeholders to realize and iterate on designs
• Create thoughtful and engaging mechanical and dialogue choices with a strong understanding of the project’s IP and development constraints
• Create both high and low level design documentation to inform stakeholders, developers and artists on the design’s vision
• Format, optimize and export data for integration
• Work with artists and developers in-engine to implement data, and components accurately
• Promote project design practices
• Facilitate communication internally and externally
• Ensure tasks are well broken down and estimates are reasonable

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading design teams
• Experience generating and pitching new game ideas to external clients
• Strong UX design skills
• Product owner or analytics background

Benefits

• Opportunities work in triple-A, in a no-crunch modern studio with a relaxed atmosphere and a variety of work
• Comprehensive benefits package that covers Dental Care, Health Care (including out of country coverage), Vision Care, Long Term Disability, Physio, Massage etc
• Generous leave policies include 4 weeks paid vacation (plus 1 week over the Holiday Season), unlimited sick leave and 2 paid personal days. We also provide parental leave top-up and an Employee and Family Assistance Plan that offer 24/7 free and confidential help with your physical and mental health
• RRSP Matching
• A dynamic and supportive team environment with a range of experience and an amazing culture – we have board game nights, movie nights, arcade tournaments, and more to help blow off steam and hang out together
• The opportunity to build or expand your career the way you want to, in a smaller studio connected to a global studio family
• A sweet hoodie!