Game Designer

Portland, OR, United States

We do not just make simple & beautiful mobile games, we dream about exceptional design and crafting wonderful experiences. We're an eclectic group of creative problem solvers working together to have fun and make great things that delight millions of people around the world.

We're careful & deliberate. We ask a lot of questions along the way. We iterate on our successes (and our failures) and strive to push the boundaries of quality in every aspect of our creations. We make sure that every interaction, animation, color, word, light, sound, and pixel in our games exists with intention.

We're not rockstars or ninjas; we don't crunch or glorify burnout. We're just smart, dedicated, fun-loving, and take immense pride in our work. We believe in true work/life balance and don't take ourselves too seriously. We see our responsibility to our players as a privilege and believe solving even the smallest problems can have big impacts.

If you read that and thought, "that feels a lot like me" - then we should talk. We love meeting people that are curious, inventive, detail-oriented, and excellent at what they do.

About You

You are experienced in game design and have a player-centric mindset. You are comfortable in an autonomous environment and are able to spot opportunities to make the player experience the best it can be. You have a strong passion for creating worlds and experiences that are fun and engaging. You have a keen eye for effective game mechanics, overall user experience, and hold yourself to a high standard. You immerse yourself in the competitive landscape and build a working game mechanic encyclopedia to ensure not only parity with our peers, but that we're a driving force in leading innovation. You're a key player in the design process, advocate for our players, and inspire others to build exciting experiences.

Duties and Responsibilities

Create mathematical models of card games, player progression, sources, sinks, etc.

Create or adapt game features; offer new ideas and conduct brainstorming sessions

Tune and model complex systems using Excel or other tools

Write copy, messaging and narrative elements of the game

Create and maintain storyboards, wireframes, and design documents to communicate new features

Work with software engineers to test and verify game math model simulations using statistical methods

Work closely with design team to collaborate on visual design and mockups

Analyze metrics and user feedback to derive insights and adjust game designs accordingly

Remain up-to-date with mobile classic, casual, and card design trends

Actively participate in the game development process, engaging the team and resolving issues

Collaborate daily with your team, working together to solve problems and make great games Agile Development Process - Embrace, demonstrate, and champion Agile principles, process, and communication strategies

Requirements 2+ years of experience in game development, game design, and game math model design

Extensive knowledge of mobile games and player psychology

Intrinsic barometer of "is this fun" and a DNA-level drive to ask, "how can I make it better?"

Excel or Sheets expert

Programming experience preferred (Unity would be ideal)

Skills with one or more art/wireframing tools helpful: Balsamiq Mockups, PhotoShop, Illustrator, Figma, etc.

Demonstrated ability to work in a creative, collaborative, fast-paced work environment

Able to give and take constructive feedback in a professional manner

Passion for gaming; avid gamer with solid understanding of game development and game genres

Strong understanding of game balance and game pacing

Self-direction, drive, and leadership

Bachelor's Degree in Math, Statistics, Economy, Engineering, or Computer Science; or demonstrated expertise in combinatorics, probability, and statistics

Ability to work in Portland, Oregon

Benefits and Perks 100% health benefit premiums for you and your dependents

401K match and Restricted stock units

Working in a cutting-edge, ever-evolving industry alongside a team of very nice, incredibly talented people

Flexible schedules and an awesome pet-friendly office in Portland's Pearl District

Lots of snacks, weekly lunches, and as much cold brew/kombucha/sparkling water as you can drink.

Legitimate respect for work/life balance (seriously...we don't do 60-hour weeks or crunch time)

A whole host of other awesome benefits to make sure you're taken care of and feel valued

About PLAYSTUDIOS

PLAYSTUDIOS is the developer and operator of award-winning free-to-play casual games for mobile and social platforms. The company's collection of original and published titles is powered by its groundbreaking playAWARDS loyalty marketing platform, which enables players to earn real-world rewards from a portfolio of global entertainment, retail, technology, travel, leisure, and gaming brands across 17 countries and four continents. Founded by a team of veteran gaming, hospitality, and technology entrepreneurs, PLAYSTUDIOS brings together beautifully designed mobile gaming content with an innovative loyalty platform in order to provide its players with an unequaled entertainment experience and its partners with actionable business insights. To learn more about PLAYSTUDIOS, visit playstudios.com

PLAYSTUDIOS is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military or veteran status, or other protected category under the law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

California Residents: Please review our California HR Data Privacy Policy for information about our data practices.

Other details Pay Type Salary

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