Requisition Number: 180357
Position Title: Sr Game Designer
External Description:
Welcome to Maxis, home to tinkerers, craftspeople, & storytellers. Our drive is to inspire everyone to make a better world through creative play. As the developer of The Sims, we create games and experiences for millions of people around the world and are always looking for new ways to inspire our players. Maxis is a place where you can do what you love and help others grow while doing it; a place where your unique voice can be heard and seen. We put creativity and inclusivity at the core of our work and don’t settle for seeing the world only as it is, but strive to build a world as it could be.
In this role you will be part of the Project Rene team building out the next generation game and creative platform. Project Rene is a Mobile + HD cross-platform that allows players to play The Sims alone or with friends, without barriers, for the first time ever. Explore the dramatic lives of your Sims in the most accessible, dynamic Simulation to date. Players can create characters, customize furniture, design apartments, and more using accessible tools. We’re excited you’re interested to learn more about how you can join our team and dream big. For more information about The Sims, follow @TheSims on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, like The Sims on Facebook, visit TheSims.com newsroom and tune into Behind The Sims on Youtube for the latest news and updates
You will be reporting to the Development Director.
Location: Remote North America – open to most North America locations
The Simulation Designer’s role will be to drive the design and implementation of core simulation gameplay systems. This will involve working with cross-discipline groups toward a common defined vision as well as supporting efforts with design documentation and technical implementation.
Responsibilities:
- Advocate and maintain the vision of the project set by the Design Directors and Lead Simulation Designer.
- Become an expert on the game and our target audience, drawing from data, research, and playtesting to make and defend design decisions.
- Design and own major systems, mechanics, and content from concept through implementation and live service.
- Determine gameplay experience goals for owned features and drive implementation and tuning of those features to meet those goals.
- Find practical and creative solutions that achieve the intended player experience and fit within the project scope.
- Champion your designs and get the team excited to work on them.
- Collaborate with all team disciplines, including artists, animators, modelers, engineers, quality assurance, and producers to get support from the team and guide a project from initial design to final production.
- Partner with Experience Design to make complex gameplay systems into delightful and easy to understand experiences for players.
- Become an expert on Maxis’ proprietary game development tools to implement your designs, tune, and bug fix.
- Establish and champion implementation and tuning best practices across the design team.
- Balance future proofing and an iterative approach, resulting in scalable systems and good design patterns and practices while staying nimble enough to react to feedback.
- Partnering with Development Directors to track tasks, identify risk, and clarify changes in design work.
Qualifications:
- Senior Level: 7+ years of game design experience.
- Expertise in game development tools and engines, such as Unreal.
- Implemented designs in past games using scripts, blueprints, or in an editor.
- Excellent creative skills with an ability to write detailed design documentation throughout a project life cycle.
- Experience designing and creating requirements for proprietary tools.
- Progressive thinking while remaining motivated to overcome challenges with practical solutions.
- Design and implementation experience with game features that focus on open-ended player creativity.
- Eager to explore the possibilities of system-driven storytelling and craft inclusive non-linear narratives.
- Effective at working both autonomously and in groups of different profiles.
- Knowledge of popular interactive story machinima, simulation games, or mod communities (ex: The Sims, Episodes, Grand Theft Auto Online).
- Comfortable with various stages of development, from pre-production through live service.
Visit us at: https://www.ea.com/ea-studios/maxis
US COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The base salary ranges listed below are for the defined geographic market pay zones in these states. If you reside outside of these locations, a recruiter will advise on the base salary range and benefits for your specific location.
EA has listed the base salary ranges it in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in the locations listed, as of the time of this posting. Salary offered will be determined based on numerous relevant business and candidate factors including, for example, education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, and business or organizational needs.
BASE SALARY RANGES
• California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. Sacramento):
° $113,300 – $171,700
• New York (depending on location e.g. Manhattan vs. Buffalo):
° $111,500 – $171,700
• Jersey City, NJ:
° $126,700 – $171,700
• Colorado (depending on location e.g. Denver vs. Colorado Springs):
° $111,500 – $144,000
• Washington (depending on location e.g. Seattle vs. Spokane):
° $111,500 – $157,300
Base salary is just one part of the overall compensation at EA. We also offer a package of benefits including paid time off (3 weeks per year to start), 80 hours per year of sick time, 16 paid company holidays per year, 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.
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Community / Marketing Title: Senior Game Designer – The Sims
Company Profile:
We are a global team of creators, storytellers, technologists, experience originators, innovators and so much more. We believe amazing games and experiences start with teams as diverse as the players and communities we serve. At Electronic Arts, the only limit is your imagination.
EEOText:
About Electronic Arts
Everything we do is designed to inspire the world to play. Through our cutting-edge games, innovative services, and powerful technologies, we bring worlds with infinite possibilities to millions of players and fans around the globe.
We’re looking for collaborative and inclusive people with diverse perspectives who will enrich our culture and challenge us. We take a holistic approach with our benefits program, focusing on physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support our people through every chapter of life. We provide comprehensive benefit packages and support for a balanced life with paid time off and new parent leave, plus free games and so much more. Our goal is to provide a safe and respectful workplace that empowers you to thrive in both work and life.
Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will also consider employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. EA also makes workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law.
Days Open: 29
Can this position be remote?: 1
EEO Employer Verbiage:
About Electronic Arts
Everything we do is designed to inspire the world to play. Through our cutting-edge games, innovative services, and powerful technologies, we bring worlds with infinite possibilities to millions of players and fans around the globe.
We’re looking for collaborative and inclusive people with diverse perspectives who will enrich our culture and challenge us. We take a holistic approach with our benefits program, focusing on physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support our people through every chapter of life. We provide comprehensive benefit packages and support for a balanced life with paid time off and new parent leave, plus free games and so much more. Our goal is to provide a safe and respectful workplace that empowers you to thrive in both work and life.
Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will also consider employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. EA also makes workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law.