Destiny Gameplay Designer (Senior to Staff)

Bungie is seeking a highly technical, creative, and team-oriented Senior to Staff Gameplay Designer to join the Destiny Combat Gameplay team.

Do you relish the challenge of designing incredible action gameplay? Are you excited to take on the hard work of rallying the team behind your vision, navigating the challenges of expanding the combat sandbox in an ongoing live-service game, and carrying your design over the finish line? Do you obsess over core game feel like camera shake and FOV, controller rumble, damage falloff curves, and how you can use those tools to craft an experience where the controller falls away? Are you looking to work on AAA games with a talented and passionate team of like-minded creatives? If so, we have the job for you!

As a Senior to Staff Gameplay Designer on the Destiny 2 Combat Gameplay team, you will work closely with the Gameplay Team to craft a robust sandbox of evocative abilities and first-class gameplay systems. You will collaborate with team members from other disciplines to drive a holistic gameplay experience. You will contribute to the design processes to ensure your work is the very best it can possibly be and share the principles of craft excellence with others.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaboratively plan, design, implement and balance top-notch abilities gameplay.
• Work with audio, VFX, and animation developers to effectively communicate gameplay fantasy and make in-game sandbox affordances clear to players.
• Support the work of cross-discipline teams to understand and execute on what is best for the game.
• Review the content of partner teams and skillfully work with them to revise and ensure consistent sandbox and gameplay experiences.
• Take ownership of features and drive design decisions based on small team, area, and product-level goals.
• Exercise strong player empathy to put yourself in the shoes of players with various competencies, desires, and skill levels.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Previous experience as a Sandbox Designer or Gameplay Designer on a shipped, combat-focused action game.
• Social intelligence, great interpersonal skills, and empathy for creative teams.
• Ability to handle ambiguity, including giving and handling feedback despite that ambiguity.
• Intuitive understanding of how second-to-second action games work and why people play them.
• Portfolio demonstrating the drive to make great feeling action gameplay.
• Passion for collaboration with designers, artists, programmers, musicians, testers, and producers to achieve a common goal.
• Dedication to contributing to a positive work environment.
• Ability to take direction and execute on goals.
• Unrelenting self-motivation and initiative.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and prioritization skills.

For Staff level candidates, in addition to the above Required Skills, we are targeting:

• Advanced understanding of game engines, technology, and the game development process.
• Understanding of action game concepts for multiple genres and perspectives.
• Ability to lead communication and explain the “why” behind gameplay design decisions.
• Ability to operate autonomously while holding a creative vision.

NICE-TO-HAVE SKILLS

• Experience in Animation; able to talk anticipation, follow through, character and timing.
• For Staff level candidates, in addition to the above Nice-to-Have Skills, we are targeting:
• Experience hiring, training, and mentoring peer and junior designers.

• 20 days of accrued time-off in the form of PTO and sabbatical days, depending on the level of the position
• 10 paid Floating Days annually, prorated in the first year of employment based on start date
• 10 paid Bungie-observed holidays annually
• One hour of Paid Sick Time (PST) for every 30 hours worked

Contract and International FTE employees receive competitive benefits through their relevant contracting agency.