Archetype Entertainment is a new game studio in Austin, Texas led by industry veterans from BioWare and other AAA studios. Archetype is a division of Wizards of the Coast (Hasbro). We are building a development team with world-class talent to create a new science fiction universe for our first multiplatform roleplaying video game.
Our goal is to create the greatest story-driven roleplaying games in the world.
At Archetype, we believe there will always be a place for story-driven roleplaying games that put the player at the center of an epic personal narrative with impactful choices. We are building games that represent the diversity of our audience. We also believe that game studios should empower top developers and challenge them with ambitious projects that are shaped by a strong, clearly communicated creative vision.
We chose Austin because it is a great place to live and work. Austin is the capital of Texas and is a fast-growing city with a vibrant music scene, cosmopolitan culture, a world-class university (the University of Texas at Austin -- “Hook ‘em Horns!”), and scenic rolling hills. It was recently voted the #1 place to live in America for the third year in a row — based on affordability, job prospects, and quality of life.
Archetype Entertainment seeks an experienced Art Director with strong artistic vision and the ability to lead a team to execute that vision. The Art Director is a recognized expert in their field who can take the initiative in building a AAA video game title from the ground up. They have a wealth of knowledge about every artistic discipline (concept, character, animation, environment, VFX, UI, lighting, shading, and rendering), and they can apply this knowledge to build a team and ramp up development from pre-production to full production. The Director understands emerging trends and technologies in video game content and makes strategic recommendations as to how they may benefit and/or impact the studio. The Director makes important contributions to all projects in the studio and sets ambitious visual targets for the studio’s artists.
What You'll Do
- Sets a bold artistic vision for the game
- Directs the creation of art both internally and by third parties
- Evangelizes the artistic vision and provide feedback and direction to further that vision
- Provides clear written and illustrated guidelines that communicate the artistic vision
- Collaborates with leadership to make recommendations and decisions concerning all artwork
- Oversees internal R&D for art tools, production pipelines, and content creation
- Analyzes competing products and makes recommendations to leadership Identifies new tools and technologies to improve content production
- Builds and maintains effective art team structure
- Evaluates, hires, and assigns talent for all art disciplines
- Provides day to day artistic feedback and mentorship of individual contributors and leads
- Promotes a culture of healthy critique on the art team with a focus on product quality
- Makes recommendations for promotions for individuals within team. Handles performance evaluations, bonus reviews, career growth plans, and disciplinary plans for direct reports
This job description outlines primary duties and requirements and is not intended to identify all tasks that may be performed; individuals occupying the position may be required to perform other duties. The company may modify job duties from time to time, either in practice or in writing.
What You Bring
- 8+ years of experience in art production for interactive entertainment, including minimum of two product cycles as an artist and at least one as an Art Director
- Experience working with artists to define the vision for AAA titles
- Thorough understanding of video game development and production pipeline
- Experience leading a team with emphasis on collaborating with senior leadership
- Extensive experience and knowledge of art processes and production pipelines
- Excellent eye for graphical quality and knowledge of techniques used to achieve visual targets
- Ability to foster a dynamic and collaborative team environment
- Broad knowledge across all art disciplines, including concept, character, animation, environment, VFX, UI, lighting, shading, and rendering
- Excellent decision-making capabilities and communication skills
- Experience working with outsourcing companies preferred
- Effective written, verbal, and interpersonal skills
We are an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer
The above is intended to describe the general content of and the requirements for satisfactory performance in this position. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of the duties, responsibilities, or requirements of the position.
