Content Designer (Contract)

ArenaNet develops and publishes games for every kind of person, which means our games need to be built by every kind of person. We believe the best experiences come from working together, celebrating differences, and helping each of our team members shine.

About the role

This is an early career role where you’ll be asked to work collaboratively with multiple disciplines, bring a fresh perspective and eagerness to learn to the team, and implement open world content in Guild Wars 3.

Responsibilities

• Grow – Bring a growth mindset to work every day and focus on the path, not the destination or the ups and downs.
• Ask – Be vocal about asking for help, getting advice, and looking for sources of information. Don’t suffer in silence!
• Timebox – Don’t spend more time than you need, implement quickly, get feedback, and iterate. Don’t aim for perfection, aim for iteration cycles.
• Collaborate – Partner with Level Design, Technical Design, Narrative, Art, and Engineering to deliver cohesive and quality player-facing content.
• Plan – Work with Content Leads to support development timelines and goals for content completion.
• Implement – Use Unreal Engine 5 tools and scripting systems to build and iterate on gameplay experiences.
• Document – Work with Technical Designers and other Designers to fully document tools, pipelines, and content plans.
• Listen – Participate in playtests and incorporate feedback to improve pacing, clarity, and player engagement.
• Polish – Iterate content based on player feedback, internal playtests, and design reviews to ensure gameplay moments are polished, intuitive, and aligned with the player experience. Develop knowledge of game systems, player experience, and MMORPG content design.

Requirements

• 2+ years of experience in game development with a focus on content design, quest design, or mission gameplay systems.
• Experience implementing gameplay content using Unreal Engine 5.
• Good understanding of narrative, encounter design, and mission flow.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills when working in a hybrid environment.
• Well-developed practices for learning new technical skills, game engines, or other development tools.
• Experience playing MMOs and Open World games, with Guild Wars 1 and 2 being especially meaningful.
• Familiarity with game development practices and pipelines.

Schedule

This is a 1+ year remote-friendly contract, but we are currently prioritizing candidates who are local to the Bellevue, WA area and open to occasional onsite collaboration.

Pay

Pay Range: $39.69 - $57.55 per hour. This is an hourly contract role with overtime pay when applicable. While we share the full range for transparency, typical offers fall between the minimum and midpoint.

Benefits

The role is benefits-eligible through our third-party employer, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and flexible/dependent care accounts.