WHO IS PLAYSIDE STUDIOS?

PlaySide Studios is a dynamic and innovative company that employs individuals across Australia, New Zealand and the UK. As Australia’s largest publicly listed independent video game developer, PlaySide is committed to delivering cutting-edge interactive experiences across mobile, VR, AR, and PC platforms. With a diverse portfolio of more than 60 titles and collaborations with industry giants like Netflix and Activision Blizzard, working at PlaySide is not just a job but an opportunity to be part of an innovating the gaming industry.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

We are looking for a passionate and creative Senior Game Designer to join our talented team. In this role, you’ll be given the autonomy to define and own significant areas of the game, from core mechanics to unforgettable moments. Working alongside other senior creatives, you will be a key voice in translating high-level vision into tangible, engaging, and fun experiences for our players. If you live for design and are ready to leave your mark on a project, we want to hear from you.

• Champion the high-level project vision, ensuring all design decisions, features, and content align with the game’s strategic goals and core player fantasy.
• Own and drive the design for significant project areas, such as core gameplay loops, systems, or live-ops features, from initial concept through to final in-engine implementation and tuning.
• Act as a key hands-on contributor by directly implementing, scripting, and iterating on gameplay features using the game engine (e.g., Unity, Unreal).
• Manage multiple design workstreams simultaneously, prioritizing MVP components and strategically planning for scope adjustments based on development complexity and team feedback.
• Define the documentation structure and standards for major game features, creating clear and concise design documents that effectively communicate intent to all disciplines.
• Guide the integration of narrative elements by collaborating with writers, ensuring that story, lore, and world-building effectively support the gameplay experience.
• Facilitate collaborative design activities and workshops, aligning team discussions with design strategy and resolving ambiguity by defining clear acceptance criteria.
• Orchestrate the full cycle of player feedback, from organizing playtests and interpreting qualitative data to advocating for changes that enhance the player experience.
• Critically deconstruct reference titles and market trends to inform design choices and confidently defend proposals to stakeholders through a lens of development cost and outcome value.
• Provide significant and constructive feedback during sprint reviews, dynamically iterating on designs in response to technical hurdles and creative opportunities.