Principal Game Designer

PRINCIPAL GAME DESIGNER — ONLINE / LIVE SERVICE

Location: Hybrid — Warsaw, Poland (or Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, or Stockholm) plus two weeks per month on-site in Wrocław, Poland. This travel commitment is mandatory and non-negotiable.

THE ROLE

We're recruiting on behalf of a major global games publisher, working in close partnership with one of Europe's most significant AAA game development studios, to fill a Principal Game Designer position focused on an unannounced online, live service title within a globally recognised action-horror franchise.

This is a dual-sided role. You will sit within the publisher's specialist partner team, working hands-on alongside the studio's creative leadership to bring genuine live service, multiplayer, and online design expertise into a project that currently lacks that specific skill set in-house. You will be embedded with the studio for two weeks of every month, working directly with their design and creative teams, and based hybrid at a publisher office for the remaining time.

The studio is led by a hands-on, highly accomplished founder who remains the creative authority on the franchise. This is not a role with final creative sign-off. It requires earning trust, building genuine relationships on the ground, and influencing direction through credibility and collaboration rather than authority. You will need to be comfortable rolling up your sleeves, working under pressure, and proving your expertise through the work itself.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

• Working hands-on within a AAA development team to design and implement online, multiplayer, and live service systems
• Bringing expertise in game economies, monetisation, PvP/PvE/co-op systems, and live content strategy to a studio building its first true live service title
• Mentoring and upskilling existing design talent within the studio
• Balancing strategic input with direct, hands-on execution
• Building trust and long-term relationships with studio leadership through consistent, credible, on-the-ground collaboration
• Regularly travelling and working across European studio and publisher locations

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• 10+ years of experience in game development
• 3+ years in a senior creative leadership role — Lead Designer, Creative Director, Game Director, or equivalent
• 2+ shipped AAA PC and console titles, ideally action or shooter genre
• Proven experience on at least one shipped online, multiplayer, or live service title
• Deep understanding of multiplayer systems design across PvP, PvE, and co-op
• Strong knowledge of game economies and monetisation models, including free-to-play, battle passes, and live service content strategy
• Genuine ability to operate at both strategic and hands-on execution level — this is not a purely managerial position
• Strong stakeholder management skills and experience working across multidisciplinary and senior leadership teams
• Willingness and enthusiasm to travel and be embedded on-site with a partner studio in Poland for two weeks of every month, without exception
• Genuine passion for games and gaming culture — this will be tested

LOCATION AND TRAVEL — PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

This role requires two weeks per month based hybrid at one of our client's European offices (Warsaw, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, or Stockholm), and two weeks per month on-site full time with the partner studio in Wrocław, Poland. All travel, accommodation, and a daily per diem are covered. This is a hard requirement and there is no flexibility on it. Please only apply if you are genuinely willing and able to commit to this travel pattern long term.

COMPENSATION

Competitive base salary plus significant bonus and stock, with total compensation reflecting the seniority and importance of this role. Exact package will be discussed based on experience.is role. Exact package will be discussed based on experience.