Game Designer; Project

Privacy Notice for California Applicants and Employees

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Meow Wolf opens portals of possibility. Come as you are!

We are individuals who inspire creativity in people's lives through art and exploration, so that our combined imaginations can transform the world we live in. We create immersive and interactive experiences that transport audiences into fantastic realms of story and exploration. Our Vision is to be the world's leading creative company, reimagining the paradigm of art and storytelling, to make a positive difference in the world.

We share a strong commitment to Belonging through our values of:

• Collaborative Creativity
  :
  We believe the act of creating together amplifies possibilities.
• Provocative Playfulness: We celebrate the unexpected because it is the doorway to discovery.
• Outsiders Welcome: We are all outsiders at heart, and we create space for everyone to feel like they belong.
• Authentic Compassion: We are “kind punks” - supportive to each other and standing up for what we believe in.
• Audacious Courage: We have the courage to radically reinvent ourselves to push the boundaries of art.

If this all sounds like YOU, read on….

This is a project based position with an anticipated duration of 6+ months.

Santa Fe, NM ( On-site) or Remote, providing the candidate resides in one of the following markets:
Denver, CO;
Las Vegas, NV;
Houston, TX;
Dallas, TX;
New York, NY; or Los Angeles, CA

The base annual salary for this position starts at $80,000. Compensation may vary based on location and experience.

As a Game Designer, reporting to the Director, Experience Strategy, you will be integral in developing quest experiences within our themed interactive art exhibitions. These experiences will leverage game mechanics like inventory management, economy systems, puzzles, progression, rewards, and branching narratives. You will work closely with Story, UI, UX, and production teams to craft engaging, seamless gameplay that integrates with both physical installations and mobile applications.

A strong focus will be placed on designing systems that bridge digital interactions with the physical space, offering guests unique, rewarding challenges as they explore and engage with the exhibition.

• Design Quest Experiences:
  Develop engaging and immersive quest lines using familiar game mechanics like exploration, puzzle-solving, inventory, and progression systems.
• Gameplay Systems Development:
  Create and iterate on core gameplay systems, including player progression, reward systems, narrative structures, and dynamic world interactions.
• User-Centric Design:
  Collaborate with UX/UI designers to develop intuitive and accessible interfaces for quests, ensuring a seamless blend of physical and digital interactions.
• Prototyping and Iteration:
  Use rapid prototyping techniques, including paper prototyping, to quickly test and validate ideas before moving to digital implementation. Iterate on gameplay mechanics based on play testing feedback and data.
• Workflow Development:
  Establish workflows for the development of quests and interactive gameplay, ensuring clear milestones, iterative feedback loops, and effective cross-team collaboration.
• Collaborative Development:
  Work with cross-disciplinary teams (art, engineering, product management) to ensure alignment on game vision and execution.
• Integration of Mobile App & Physical Space:
  Develop gameplay that leverages the physical space in tandem with a mobile app, ensuring smooth transitions between real-world and in-app interactions.
• Data-Informed Design:
  Utilize data insights from play testing, guest interactions, and user feedback to continuously improve and refine gameplay systems.
• Storytelling and World-Building:
  Collaborate with the story team to integrate storytelling into quest design, ensuring that gameplay is both fun and narratively meaningful, building a sense of immersion and progression.
• Technical
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Work with…