d3t is at the forefront of videogame technology and creativity, delivering experienced co-development services to some of the biggest AAA clients in the world. Our studio, part of the global Keywords Studios Group, works on multiple exciting projects at any one time, offering plenty of variety and involvement.

Our studio projects have included EA SPORTS FC™ 26, Hogwarts Legacy, Exoborne, Mafia: The Old Country, Alan Wake Remastered, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Vampire The Masquerade - Blood Hunt, Mafia II: Definitive Edition, and Assetto Corsa Competizione. We also work in partnership with our global clients including: Playground Games, EA and Archetype Entertainment.

The d3t studios are based near Daresbury (Cheshire), Newcastle (Tyne & Wear) and Madrid where we offer an amazingly professional and supportive working environment. We are passionate about what we do and pride ourselves on our anti-crunch mentality, mentoring ethos and have been awarded 'Best Places to Work’ multiple times by gamesindustry.biz. In addition, we won ‘Best Creative Service Provider’ at Develop 2022 and were nominated in 2023 & 2024.

This opportunity will be based in either of our UK studio sites (Daresbury or Newcastle), on a hybrid working basis. Working pattern - 3 days per week in the studio: Wednesday, Thursday and another day of your choice.

The Design team at d3t is an agile and close-knit group of cross-discipline designers, geared fully for Co-Development: we work across a broad array of exciting projects and own core design on the full spectrum of game types and genres, from the first sketches to the final shipped design. Our expertise covers everything from broad feature design, fast-moving creative ownership, and specialist design expertise in areas like technical design, level design, combat, systems, narrative, and much more. We’re currently expanding, and are seeking a Lead Combat Designer to join the crew. 

The Role: What are we looking for? 

• Confidently own and champion the Combat Design discipline within the Design team overall, acting as a central nexus of knowledge and skill. 
• Design and spearhead world-class combat experiences at AAA scale, across a wide variety of genres, styles, and approaches. This is a Co-Development role, and a high degree of adaptability is required.
• Lead, mentor, and develop other designers within the team, as both a line manager and an experienced discipline expert.
• Strong confidence and experience working with Unreal Engine and, ideally, other mainstream engines or bespoke/in-house engines. 
• Good overall Design know-how outside of combat, with the ability and willingness to roll up your sleeves when our busy Co-Dev projects require it.
• Represent and champion Combat Design both internally and with external clients, on fast-moving and complex projects.
• Become a key part of ideation, prototyping, pitching and testing of Combat and related experiences as part of early-stage development.
• Work to design, iterate, test and balance Combat to shipping quality across PC and Console, maintaining a high degree of quality throughout. 
• Lead the end-to-end creation of combat features and encounters by partnering with engineering, art, and animation departments to ensure seamless integration and playability.
• Maintain robust research and competitive analysis of other games, and act as a primary stakeholder to ensure our work stays current and high quality in line with modern player expectations.
• Write and maintain comprehensive design specifications, ensuring that all documentation is clear, updated, and effectively disseminated across the broader team.
• Collaborate with production and leadership to provide accurate task estimations and schedule balancing. As a Co-Developer, good time management and prioritisation is a must.
• Above all: work within a diverse and close-knit team in a respectful, constructive manner at all times, acting as a model of respect and professionalism for others.