Lead Game Designer

Kinetic Games Southampton, England, United Kingdom

About Kinetic Games

We're an independent games studio best known for creating Phasmophobia, enjoyed by millions of players worldwide. Our team is passionate, creative, and collaborative and we're looking for someone equally enthusiastic about games to join our growing team.

We're a small but fast growing, friendly team that values creativity, openness, and personal growth. Whether you're helping various departments or talking about your favourite horror game, you'll be part of a supportive environment where passion and curiosity are celebrated. You'll be joining a small but ambitious team where your ideas are valued, your growth is supported, and your development truly matters.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important to how we work together every day. We aim to build a team with diverse experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. We believe great games start with an inclusive environment where everyone can contribute, grow, and succeed. Applications from all qualified candidates are encouraged. Equal opportunities are provided throughout our recruitment and employment practices.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know. We'll work with you to understand your needs and provide appropriate support wherever reasonably practicable.

About the role:

• We are looking for an organised and experienced Lead Game Designer to lead the design of content updates for Phasmophobia. You will work closely with the Game Director to translate the overall creative vision into clear, cohesive gameplay experiences, systems, and features.
• You will be responsible for driving the design process across the development team, ensuring features are well-defined, appropriately scoped, and delivered to a consistently high standard. Alongside owning key areas of design yourself, you will support and guide other designers, helping establish strong design practices, documentation standards, and workflows across the studio.
• You will collaborate closely with every development team to ensure gameplay features meet the creative vision. This role is ideal for an experienced designer who combines strong hands‑on design skills with leadership, communication, and the ability to provide clear direction within a fast‑paced, iterative live game environment.

This role is hybrid based at our office in Southampton. At this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Work closely with the Game Director to translate the creative direction into detailed gameplay features, mechanics, systems, and content.
• Lead the game design discipline, providing direction, support, and feedback to other designers.
• Take ownership of the overall quality, consistency, and clarity of game design across updates.
• Own key gameplay features and systems from initial concept through implementation, iteration, balancing, and release.
• Review and provide feedback on design work to ensure it aligns with the game's creative direction and established design principles.
• Establish and maintain clear design processes, documentation standards, and best practices across the design team.
• Create and oversee clear, detailed, and actionable design documentation for cross-discipline teams.
• Break high‑level creative direction into actionable design work and help distribute design ownership across the team.
• Mentor and support designers, helping them develop their design skills, decision‑making, ownership, and understanding of Phasmophobia.
• Identify gameplay, scope, UX, and implementation risks early and work proactively with stakeholders to resolve them.
• Collaborate…