Principal Game Designer

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Who we are

At Fortis Games we aspire to make great games that bring people together while redefining how game companies work. We believe in building a sense of belonging through our games, their communities, and how we operate and treat each other. Through our game communities, we will create powerful connections and lasting memories. We will foster a culture of diversity, equity and belonging where together our diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds impact the games we make.

We are an early but mighty organization with a leadership team of game industry veterans. There are many opportunities for you to have a big impact on the products we'll be making as well as the overall direction of the company. If you're passionate about tackling difficult problems with direct and thoughtful communication and team first mentality, we may be the right place for you.

About the role

This is a pivotal design role and a crucial partner to the Game Director on one of our R&D game projects. You will play a key role in shaping the game and design vision for a new game concept, from prototyping through production and launch. You will also mentor and nurture the growth of a talented team of game designers, fostering a culture of creativity and excellence.

What you'll achieve

• Carry the product vision and guide the team’s major design decisions, with an emphasis on systems, economy, and game balance.
• Drive discussion and alignment on the team as the game navigates through complex and ambiguous design challenges.
• Architect systems that meet product goals and give us strong conviction in the commercial viability of the game.
• Ensure that the team’s design decisions are well-connected to product goals and player motivations, and that these are clearly articulated.
• Help build and mentor a highly effective and engaged design team that pushes themselves and one another to their fullest potential.
• Share your knowledge and learnings as an expert on the game’s design, target audience, genre, and opportunity space with the broader product organization beyond the game team, to advance our collective knowledge.

What you'll need to be successful

• A holistic view of game systems, including the downstream effects of design decisions throughout both the product and player lifecycle, coupled with a strong understanding of fundamental design principles, metagame systems, game economies, and player psychology, to design from first principles.
• You will demonstrate deep insights and nuanced views on key differentiators, challenges, and opportunities within the game's design space.
• Strong ability to connect design decisions with product goals and player motivations, ensuring alignment and coherence in the overall game design.
• Ability to partner with designers and product managers, and cross-functional groups including engineering, art, and production.
• Ability to synthesize feedback from team members, user playtests, and other validation efforts into product insights and rapidly iterate on designs.
• Ability to articulate the nuances of abstract concepts and how they apply to complex, interrelated systems.
• A well-structured communication style that allows for clear and effective articulation of design ideas and concepts.
• Extensive knowledge of games as a service and live operations – you know what good looks like and can build efficient design processes, workflows, and tooling to enable it.
• Enthusiasm for mentoring and elevating the people around you to do their best work.
• A natural curiosity and eagerness to learn - we believe this is essential to our ability to stay ahead of the market and value this over years of experience.

We expect senior talent to continue being students of their craft and the game spaces they’re working in. You should be educated on the latest trends and have a strong perspective on how they relate to our current and future projects.

Why join us

There are many reasons to join us, but here are a few:

• We strongly believe we are changing how games studios operate and at the core of what we do is making great games that create a connected community
• We're not just about making Games Where You Belong. We're also about building communities where our people belong. That's why Fortis is a thriving environment that celebrates diversity, embraces inclusivity, and fosters growth.
• Build and grow with a seasoned team of accomplished talent who have left an impactful mark in their disciplines, both in and out of gaming

Fortis 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 disability.