Principal Game Designer in Horsham

Join Creative Assembly and craft deep and detailed games that last, entertaining millions of players across the globe for decades.

Creative Assembly is looking for a Principal Game Designer to join the talented Total War team working on exciting projects in the Total War franchise at our headquarters studio in Horsham, UK. You'll become part of a world-class development team working on a title in the award-winning Total War series. You will develop and champion game features that provide immersive and engaging gameplay experiences, applying your expertise to designing both game systems and the content that leverages these systems to the greatest effect.

Flexible working at Creative Assembly includes hybrid, fully remote within country of employment for eligible roles, and in-studio. This role is Hybrid, it cannot offer fully remote working. Further details can be discussed during the recruitment process. Please note that a motivation letter is required for this position and applications without such will not be considered.

What you’ll be doing:

• Take full ownership and responsibility for multiple features and ensure they are delivered to the highest quality.
• Create systems and content that provide immersive, engaging, and valuable experiences that strive to meaningfully uphold the game's pillars, themes and vision.
• Collaborate with the design team to create detailed feature designs and work closely alongside developers from other disciplines.
• Deliver an exceptional player experience through your work.
• Develop standards and best practices, set the bar for quality and seek continuous improvement across the whole design pipeline.
• Spot problems and potential hurdles in advance and seek ways to avoid them.
• Provide support to your teammates and uphold the direction of your leads and directors.
• Maintain excellent communication within and across your team and discipline.
• Work independently and deliver on your tasks expertly and reliably.
• Drive new and experimental initiatives that break new ground.
• Create and maintain fun and balanced features and communicate regular updates to relevant discipline teams.

Knowledge, Skill and Experience:

• Essential:
• Significant Games industry knowledge and experience.
• Having shipped games and seen development from start to finish.
• Continuous improvement mindset.
• Demonstrable ability to analyse gameplay features, identify strengths and weaknesses, and recommend improvements.
• Champion of Player value.
• Experience using Excel and ability to balance large sets of numbers.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Wide-ranging experience playing a variety of video games.
• Ability to listen and be open to feedback.
• Ability to coach and mentor less experienced members of own discipline.

• Desirable:
• Shipped at least one title in a Senior or Principal Designer position.
• Deep understanding of Total War games.
• Modding experience.
• Experience in gameplay scripting in LUA, C# or other language.
• Knowledge of and interest in history.
• Experience in using metrics to improve design.
• Great attention for detail and strong visual sense.
• Experienced in other game design areas, such as AI or Narrative design.

We care deeply about the experiences we create and put our players at the heart of our decisions. We are all game makers; no matter our role we are empowered to make significant contributions to our games, supported by skills development and growth opportunities.

We offer many benefits to support you and your family including:

• Work from Anywhere for a temporary period each year (restrictions apply).
• Enhanced holiday allowance, maternity and paternity breaks, flexibility with our core hours, and no-notice holidays.
• Bespoke relocation package for you and your dependents.
• Private medical and dental insurance, life insurance, permanent health insurance, critical illness cover and free health care screening.
• Additional benefits ranging from free games and work parties to discount on technology.
• Wellbeing support and virtual confidential counselling.

We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief. Our studio sites have disabled access.