Contractor - Senior Designer

**Please note that all positions posted for Aspyr Media, Inc. are in-person/in-office only; remote positions are not available.**Aspyr is a leading game publisher and developer, bringing the world's biggest franchises and bold new projects to players everywhere. Since 1996, we've published over 200 games and our team is dedicated to bringing beloved franchises like Tomb Raider and Star Wars to new and familiar audiences across all platforms. We focus on collaboration and creativity, crafting high-quality, engaging games that leave a lasting impact on players worldwide.Responsibilities:The Contractor - Senior Designer will work on specific projects to function as a design authority by reviewing design decisions, shaping design direction, and ensuring that the projects stay true to the original games' identity. This person will work closely with Product Management, Engineering, Art, external partners, and IP holders to help shape requirements, validate design choices, and influence the evolution of gameplay systems across genres and platforms.Review and influence design decisions for assigned projects, ensuring coherence of vision, mechanics, and player experienceDeconstruct legacy mechanics and partner with Product Management to determine what must be preserved for authenticity and what should evolve for modern audiencesProvide analysis and insight into core loops, progression, pacing, and player motivation to ensure each game feels intentional and robustServe as a creative advisor during development reviews, build critiques, and milestone evaluations with internal teams and external partnersEvaluate gameplay with a focus on:Responsiveness and camera feelCharacter control and feedback fidelityConsistency of pacing, difficulty curve, and engagementDeliver clear, objective, and actionable feedback that improves overall player experience while honoring original design intentPartner with the Product Management team to help write, review, and refine Product Requirement Documents (PRDs) to clearly capture:Gameplay goals and measurable success criteriaSystem requirements and dependenciesHow original mechanics are adapted or modernizedConformance with IP holder direction and quality standardsValidate that requirements are actionable, feasible, and aligned with design vision before implementation beginsHelp interpret, communicate, and defend design intent to partners while being responsive to technical needs and feedbackWork with IP holders to ensure creative and mechanical decisions honor their direction and quality expectationsAssess how narrative beats and progression are supported by gameplay systemsHelp teams integrate environmental storytelling and pacing that reinforces engagement and clarityStandardize practices for design documentation, tuning, and feedback loopsPreferred Qualifications:7+ years of professional game design experienceAt least 2 shipped titles in Senior, Lead, or Principal design rolesDeep understanding of game systems and player experience fundamentals across genresStrong analytical skills with the ability to translate experiential qualities into actionable improvement plansComfortable using spreadsheets (Excel / Sheets) for balance, progression, and system modelingFamiliarity with engine tools (Unreal and/or proprietary) sufficient to navigate builds, understand technical constraints, and communicate effectively with engineeringExperience on remasters, remakes, or major ports of legacy IP and collaborating directly with IP holders of licensed propertiesBackground in narrative design, UX/UI, or player psychologyPrior experience shaping or reviewing PRDs, feature specs, partner deliverables, or partner QA processesExperience in cross-project design leadership within a creative organizationAspyr is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Aspyr are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Aspyr will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Aspyr encourages applicants of all ages.

Created: 2026-04-02