Senior/Lead Game Designer (PC Horror Games)

We invite an experienced Senior/Lead Game Designer with a strong background in the PC horror genre to join our team. This is an opportunity to take part in shaping an already promising prototype into a high-quality, publish-ready experience.

Your role will be central in refining gameplay, pacing, and player engagement, ensuring that the first experience deliver maximum immersion and set the foundation for success.

Why this role is exciting

• You’ll work on a PC horror game prototype that already shows strong artistic promise.
• Your expertise will have direct impact on shaping gameplay and tension-building mechanics, ensuring the project resonates with horror fans.
• You’ll have the chance to lead design direction, collaborate with a skilled cross-functional team.

Our company values

• Creating innovative projects;
• A policy of open communication;
• Strong appreciation of your performance;
• Competence development;
• Comfort and well-being of our employees.

Requirements

• B1 (Intermediate) English — to collaborate with an English-speaking stakeholder.
• Proven experience as a Game Designer with at least 1 shipped PC/console horror title.
• Deep understanding of horror game design principles: pacing, atmosphere, tension, player agency, and reward systems.
• Ability to analyze existing builds and improve them efficiently.
• Experience with Unity.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to lead collaboration across teams.
  

Responsibilities

• Evaluate the prototype and apply hands-on design improvements to elevate the player experience.
• Define and refine core gameplay loops, progression, and tension mechanics.
• Ensure the gameplay is immersive.
• Collaborate with Art, Development, and Production to optimize existing systems and assets.
• Provide clear documentation and actionable guidelines for implementation.
• Mentor and guide the design team, setting standards for horror game development.
• Stay up-to-date with market trends to keep the project competitive.

Will be a BIG plus

• Experience with narrative design in horror settings.
• Knowledge of UX/UI best practices for immersive horror experiences.
• Background in prototyping, playtesting, and KPI-driven iteration.
• Previous leadership or mentorship roles.

What will you get with Stepico

• Competitive salaries are regularly reviewed based on professional growth;
• Flexible working hours and remote working;
• 18 working days of paid time off;
• 5 paid sick leaves (without doctors notes);
• Compensation for external conferences/ workshops/ events;
• Full employment;
• Fun corporate events.