Design Director / Chengdu China in Manchester

PLAY, GROW and WIN

To be a part of Virtuos means to be a creator. At Virtuos, we harness the latest technologies to make games better and more immersive than ever before. That is why we pride ourselves in constantly pushing the boundaries of possibility since our founding in 2004. Virtuosi is a team of experts – people who have come together to share their mutual passion for making and playing games. People with the same enthusiasm for exploring new ideas and the constant drive to excel in their field. People who believe in earning success through dedication. At Virtuos, we are at the forefront of gaming, creating exciting new experiences daily. Join us to Play, Grow and Win – together.

About The Position

Virtuos Chengdu is looking for a talented Game Design Director who has a passion for ARPG (RPG) or FPS games. This candidate has a strong understanding of the underlying systems and the different types of play styles involved in creating award-winning AAA ARPG (RPG) or FPS titles on console and PC SKUs. If this is you, and want to join us on the journey of creating the next big hit, we welcome you to send us your application!

The 3 Missions Of The Design Department Are:

• Design teams to design and finish projects on time, with AAA quality and within budget.
• We create good conditions for designers to do their best job.
• Designers are trained and grow so that it benefits both them and Virtuos.

Responsibilities

• Foster a positive and creative environment for your team on exciting new game projects.
• Embrace design leadership for early prototypes and projects.
• Provide design vision and direction and conduct reviews, critiques, and discussion to achieve the highest quality design.
• Approach projects with a user-first mentality and leverage gameplay feedback to improve player experiences.
• Identify and report project risks in a timely manner and propose mitigation strategies.
• Manage communication with studio leadership in terms of project progress and design matters.
• Instill best practices through mentoring and training.
• Participate in due diligence for new business opportunities if and when requested.
• Demonstrate good leadership, enthusiasm, and sense of commitment.
• Craft iterative workflows within the Design department that allow for improvements to game flow and playability.
• Collaborate with Studio Directors to establish, assess and improve internal processes, as well as contribute to studio growth strategy.
• Work closely with other studio Design Directors to share knowledge and best practices and help drive a culture of leadership, proactivity, ownership and accountability.
• Research cutting-edge technologies with an eye for putting the studio at the cutting edge of game development.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of experience with above mentioned game genres, including AAA titles across major platforms and comprehensive knowledge spanning all design areas.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Recent experience in console development with at least 2 shipped titles. Multiple genre experience is preferred.
• Presentation and pitch skills.
• Exceptional management and communication skills.
• Experience with external partners, especially across different IPs and licenses.

About Us

Founded in 2004, Virtuos is one of the largest independent video game development companies. We are headquartered in Singapore with offices in Asia, Europe, and North America. Specializing in full-cycle game development and art production, we have delivered high-quality content for more than 1,500 console, PC, and mobile games. Our clients include 23 of the top 25 gaming companies worldwide.

About Our Team

Virtuos Chengdu was the second studio ever to be founded by the Virtuos Group back in 2008. As a full-stack game development studio, it’s capable of handling all aspects of the production pipeline, from the first brief to the final product, entirely in-house. To facilitate this, the studio is staffed by a multicultural team of experts ranging from art to engineering, constantly hard at work on the biggest titles on the horizon. The studio has come a long way from its humble beginnings to becoming one of Chengdu’s game development powerhouses, due mainly to the fact that it was one of the first to pioneer AAA game development focusing on console titles in the region.

What We Offer

• Work alongside industry veterans in different fields.
• A multicultural crew comprising 9 different nationalities.
• Contribute to the world’s biggest AAA games.
• Customized training programs and regular workshops.
• Group fitness, wellness activities.
• Flexible working hours.
• Gaming corners with consoles and canteens on every floor.
• Comprehensive medical healthcare provided for all staff.
• Relocation support provided.
• Career and international mobility opportunities with Virtuos Internal Mobility Program.

People matter. Diverse opinions and experiences matter. At Virtuos, our talented teams are the cornerstone of our success, and we recognize that fostering and advocating for inclusivity is at the center of what we do best - we make games better, together. Virtuos is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that embraces diversity of thought, expression, culture, and backgrounds.