Creative Director - Darkpaw Games
Daybreak Game Company LLC · San Diego, CA
- On site
- Full-time
- $160,000 / year
- San Diego, CA
Job highlights
- Lead creative vision for unannounced Darkpaw Games title.
- Define core gameplay loops and supporting systems.
- Attract, retain, and mentor top creative talent.
- Ensure milestones meet quality, budget, and time.
- Leverage market knowledge for product enhancement.
About the role
Creative Director
Studio/Department: Darkpaw Games/Live Development
Employee Type: Full Time, Regular
Location: San Diego, CA / Remote (Daybreak Approved Remote Locations (CA, WA, TX, NY))
Salary Range: $125,000 - $160,000, pay may vary on location.
Description
The Creative Director will provide creative leadership for game aesthetics, mechanics, design, and story for Darkpaw Games, located in San Diego, CA. In partnership with the Darkpaw Games Creative and Leadership teams, this person will also help attract and retain the best creative gaming talent around. This position will:
- Provide visionary oversight and creative direction for an unannounced title within Darkpaw Games.
- Establish and refine the high-level core gameplay loops.
- Advise on and develop supplementary systems that reinforce gameplay loops that focus on core pillars of the game:
- Community and Teamwork - Working together and building social bonds to achieve things that you can't do (or is very hard to do) on your own.
- Fairness - You perform certain gameplay actions, put the time in, "work" hard and you get rewarded, your accomplishments and achievements are never taken away.
- Escape and Exploration - We build alternative worlds where players can take a break from real life or want to get a feeling of exploring something new with a sense of danger (high fantasy exploration).
- Maintain knowledge of the global game market and use to influence and add value to our product offerings.
- Assist with the recruitment of key talent and grow and mentor the Design team.
- Lead creative teams to establish and meet key milestones with expected quality, budget, and time standards.
Required Experience & Skills
- 10+ years of direct game development experience.
- Proven success from previously released titles.
- Relevant experience in achieving results via strong leadership.
- Ability to motivate teams and build consensus.
- Ability to design and elaborate on core gameplay loops and design systems that reinforce the loop from end-to-end.
- Effective and positive interpersonal skills.
- Proven problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
- Experience developing MMO games.
- Strong portfolio of work in current game engines UE4/5.
- Ability to assist with systems, level, and narrative design when the situation arises.
- Experience working on PC and console games.
- Experience developing procedurally generated content.
Preferred Skills
- Experience developing games on pre-existing IP.
- Previous experience with building a game from concept to release.
Feel like you are a match for this role, but don't meet all the requirements and pluses? We encourage fresh viewpoints, so as long as you can show us how your attitude and other skills make up for any gaps, we still want to see your application!
About Our Company
Daybreak Game Company LLC is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games. Best known for blockbuster hits and franchises such as DC Universe™ Online, PlanetSide®, EverQuest®, and Dungeons and Dragons Online®, Daybreak creates, develops, and provides compelling online entertainment for millions of gamers worldwide. We are the game publisher for Darkpaw Games, Dimensional Ink Games, and Standing Stone Games. To top it off, we are making games in three of the coolest cities in the United States: San Diego, Austin, and Boston. We make games that bring people together and build lasting communities and are totally devoted to delivering the ultimate gaming experience! Find out more about our company at www.daybreakgames.com.
Be Aware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities
Daybreak Game Company will never ask applicants for social security numbers, date of birth, bank account information or other sensitive information in job applications. Additionally, our recruiters do not communicate with applicants through free e-mail accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or through online messaging apps (WhatsApp, Hangouts). We will never ask applicants to provide payment during the hiring process or extend an offer without conducting a phone, live video or in-person interview.
Daybreak Game Company, LLC. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to Diversity in the workplace.
Key skills/competency
- Creative Director
- Game Development
- Game Design
- MMO Games
- UE4/5
- Leadership
- Team Building
- Gameplay Loops
- Narrative Design
- PC and Console Games
Skills & topics
- Creative Director
- Game Development
- Game Design
- MMO
- UE4/5
- Leadership
- Team Building
- Gameplay Loops
- Narrative Design
- PC Games
- Console Games
- San Diego
- Remote
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your 10+ years of game development experience and success with released titles, especially MMOs and PC/console games.
- Showcase your portfolio: Emphasize your UE4/5 experience and work on procedurally generated content.
- Demonstrate leadership: Provide examples of motivating teams, building consensus, and solving complex design problems.
- Articulate your vision: Be prepared to discuss your creative direction for unannounced titles and your understanding of core gameplay loops and their supporting systems.
- Research Daybreak: Understand their history with MMOs like EverQuest and Dungeons and Dragons Online.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What is the primary focus of the Creative Director role at Darkpaw Games?
- The Creative Director at Darkpaw Games provides visionary oversight and creative leadership for game aesthetics, mechanics, design, and story for an unannounced title. This includes establishing core gameplay loops and supplementary systems, while also attracting and mentoring creative talent.
- What are the core pillars of gameplay emphasized for the unannounced title at Darkpaw Games?
- The core pillars are Community and Teamwork (building social bonds for shared achievements), Fairness (rewarding effort and accomplishments), and Escape and Exploration (creating immersive worlds with a sense of danger and discovery).
- What level of experience is required for the Creative Director position?
- The role requires a minimum of 10 years of direct game development experience, with proven success from previously released titles. Experience in developing MMO games and working with UE4/5 is also essential.
- Can I apply for the Creative Director role if I don't meet all the preferred qualifications?
- Yes, Daybreak Game Company encourages fresh viewpoints. If you feel you are a match but don't meet all requirements, clearly demonstrate how your attitude and other skills compensate for any gaps in your application.
- What are the location options for the Creative Director role?
- The Creative Director position is based in San Diego, CA, but remote work is approved for candidates located in California, Washington, Texas, and New York.
- What is the salary range for the Creative Director position?
- The salary range for this position is $125,000 to $160,000 annually. The final pay may vary depending on the candidate's location.
- What type of games does Daybreak Game Company specialize in?
- Daybreak Game Company LLC is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), with well-known franchises such as DC Universe™ Online, PlanetSide®, EverQuest®, and Dungeons and Dragons Online®.
- What are the key skills needed to succeed as a Creative Director at Darkpaw Games?
- Key skills include strong leadership, the ability to motivate teams and build consensus, expertise in designing core gameplay loops and supporting systems, proven problem-solving abilities, and experience with UE4/5, PC and console games, and MMO development.