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Contract Game Narrative Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Fanatics Collectibles

Narrative Designer

Seattle, WA · On-site

Partner with Game Design to ensure that mechanics and narrative reinforce each other ... As a Narrative Designer, you will help define the stories that live inside those worlds - shaping ...

TapBlaze

Senior Narrative Designer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$65K - $100K/yr

Reporting to the Game Director, you will own narrative across chapters, seasonal events, and live ... Design story beats alongside game designers so the player drives the narrative rather than ...

TapBlaze

Senior Narrative Designer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$65K - $100K/yr

Reporting to the Game Director, you will own narrative across chapters, seasonal events, and live ... Design story beats alongside game designers so the player drives the narrative rather than ...

CD PROJEKT RED

Senior Narrative Designer

Boston, MA · On-site

$118.80K - $196K/yr

Explore our social media and check out our YouTube channel and Beyond the Game Blog where we share ... CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Narrative Designer to join our Boston office to work on ...

CD PROJEKT RED

Senior Narrative Designer

Boston, MA · Hybrid

$118.80K - $196K/yr

Explore our social media and check out our YouTube channel and Beyond the Game Blog where we share ... CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Narrative Designer to join our Boston office to work on ...

CD PROJEKT RED

Senior Narrative Designer

Boston, MA · Hybrid

Explore our social media and check out our YouTube channel and Beyond the Game Blog where we share ... CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Narrative Designer to join our Boston office to work on ...

Duolingo

Senior Narrative Designer

Seattle, WA

$116.10K - $124K/yr

Duolingo's designers care about creating high-quality experiences that look and feel fun. From ... Game design experience, especially a deep understanding of narrative system design

Duolingo

Senior Narrative Designer

$104.40K - $111.60K/yr

They are seeking a Senior Narrative Designer to enhance character experiences in new learning areas ... Game design experience, especially a deep understanding of narrative system design Company

Epic Games

Principal Narrative Designer

Cary, NC · On-site

What You'll Do Epic Games is seeking a Principal Narrative Designer to aid in executing the narrative vision and strategy for our new and existing IP. You will work closely with the Senior Creative ...

Duolingo

Senior Narrative Designer

New York, NY

$111.60K - $119.20K/yr

Duolingo's designers care about creating high-quality experiences that look and feel fun. From ... Game design experience, especially a deep understanding of narrative system design

Exploding Kittens

Contract Game Designer

Los Angeles, CA

$167K/yr

This is a contract position for the role of Game Designer, anticipated to run for approximately three months with the possibility of extension based on business needs. The Game Designer plays a key ...

New

Duolingo

Senior Narrative Designer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$133.50K - $180.60K/yr

Duolingo's designers care about creating high-quality experiences that look and feel fun. From ... Game design experience, especially a deep understanding of narrative system design We post a multi ...

Duolingo

Senior Narrative Designer

New York, NY · On-site

$133.50K - $180.60K/yr

Duolingo's designers care about creating high-quality experiences that look and feel fun. From ... Game design experience, especially a deep understanding of narrative system design We post a multi ...

Stillfront

Game Designer

Miami, FL

$143.50K/yr

Candywriter is a leading mobile game studio located in Miami, Florida and part of the Stillfront ... You will partner with narrative designers, product managers, and engineers as you develop systems ...

Epic Games

Narrative Systems Designer

Cary, NC · On-site

Whether it's building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make ... What You'll Do Epic Games is looking for a character-focused Narrative Systems Designer to join our ...

Absurd Ventures

Campaign Design Lead

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

... missions that enhance the game's narrative and player experience in an open-world setting ... designers, providing direction, feedback and support throughout the development process. • Go ...

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How much do contract game narrative designer jobs pay per year?

As of May 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for contract game narrative designer in the United States is $149,118.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $155,000.00 and $155,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Contract Game Narrative Designer, and why are they important?

A Contract Game Narrative Designer should possess strong storytelling abilities, experience with narrative design principles, and a background in creative writing or game development. Familiarity with game engines (such as Unity or Unreal), branching dialogue tools (like Twine or Ink), and version control systems is often required. Exceptional communication, adaptability, and collaboration skills help them work effectively with multidisciplinary teams and adjust narratives based on feedback. These competencies ensure engaging, cohesive game stories that enhance player experience and align with project goals.

How does a contract game narrative designer typically collaborate with other departments during a game's development?

As a contract game narrative designer, you'll regularly interact with game designers, artists, and programmers to ensure the story integrates seamlessly with gameplay and visuals. You'll participate in meetings to align on narrative direction, provide feedback on dialogue implementation, and adjust scripts based on technical or design constraints. Clear communication and flexibility are key, as you'll often need to adjust your work to fit changing timelines or evolving game mechanics. Your contributions help shape the player's emotional journey while ensuring consistency and feasibility within the project's scope.

What are Contract Game Narrative Designers?

Contract Game Narrative Designers are professionals hired on a temporary or project basis to develop the storyline, dialogue, and world-building elements for video games. They collaborate with game developers, artists, and programmers to ensure that the narrative fits seamlessly with gameplay and overall design. Their responsibilities often include writing scripts, creating character backstories, and ensuring the consistency of the game’s tone and plot. Unlike full-time employees, contract narrative designers typically work for a set duration or on specific projects before moving on to new assignments.
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Contract Game Narrative Designer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Contract Game Narrative Designer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 72% Full Time, 27% Part Time, and 1% Temporary. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $149,118 per year, or $71.7 per hour.

Narrative Designer

Fanatics Collectibles

Seattle, WA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 12 days ago

Job description

About Us
Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.
About the Team
Fanatics Collectibles is building the future of trading card games.
The Fanatics TCG studio is focused on creating original worlds that are designed to live for decades - expressed through gameplay, art, story, and collectible objects. Our ambition is to build franchises that are not only widely played, but deeply felt.
Role Summary
We are seeking a Narrative Designer to help shape the worlds, characters, and stories that define our games.
This is not a role focused solely on writing text. It is a role about building worlds - establishing the underlying logic, tone, and emotional core of new universes, and ensuring that every part of the player experience reflects that foundation.
You will work closely with Creative, Game Design, and Art to develop narrative systems that live inside the cards themselves - where mechanics, visuals, and story reinforce one another.
The ideal candidate brings strong storytelling instincts, a systems mindset, and a passion for creating worlds that players want to return to again and again.
What You'll Do
Build Worlds That Can Sustain a Franchise
  • Develop the foundational lore, cosmology, and narrative structure of new TCG worlds.
  • Define factions, cultures, characters, and conflicts that can evolve over many sets and years.
  • Help establish the tone, themes, and emotional identity of each franchise.

Integrate Story with Game and Product
  • Partner with Game Design to ensure that mechanics and narrative reinforce each other.
  • Collaborate with Art and Creative teams to align on visual storytelling and world cohesion.
  • Contribute to the development of set themes, narrative arcs, and character moments.

Design Narrative Systems for Cards
  • Develop approaches for how story is expressed through card names, flavor text, mechanics, and set structure.
  • Ensure that narrative is discoverable through play and collection, not just external content.
  • Help define how narrative evolves across releases and expansions.

Create and Support Narrative Content
  • Write flavor text, card names, and supporting narrative content.
  • Contribute to world guides, story bibles, and internal documentation.
  • Support external storytelling efforts (e.g., web content, marketing beats, potential media extensions).

Collaborate Across the Studio
  • Work closely with Creative, Design, Product, and Marketing teams to ensure narrative consistency.
  • Participate in early ideation, helping shape concepts before they become fully defined.
  • Provide feedback that elevates the coherence and emotional impact of the world.

What You Bring
  • 3+ years of experience in narrative design, writing, or worldbuilding for games, publishing, or related media.
  • Strong ability to develop original worlds, characters, and narrative frameworks.
  • Experience working in collaborative, cross-functional environments.
  • Ability to balance creative vision with system constraints.
  • Excellent writing skills across both short-form (e.g., flavor text) and long-form (e.g., lore, story guides).
  • Passion for fantasy, sci-fi, and worldbuilding-driven storytelling.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience working on trading card games, tabletop games, or live service games.
  • Background in fantasy or sci-fi writing.
  • Familiarity with how narrative can be expressed through game systems and mechanics.
  • Experience contributing to original IP or franchise development.

Why Join Fanatics TCG
Fanatics Collectibles is building the future of fandom.
The Fanatics TCG studio is a rare opportunity to create entirely new worlds - worlds that will be expressed through millions of cards, shared across global communities, and evolved over many years.
As a Narrative Designer, you will help define the stories that live inside those worlds - shaping the characters, conflicts, and moments that players and collectors connect with.
If you're excited about building worlds and telling stories that unfold one card at a time, we'd love to hear from you.
Ensure your Fanatics job offer is legitimate and don't fall victim to fraud. Fanatics never seeks payment from job applicants. Feel free to ask your recruiter for a phone call or other type of communication for interview, and ensure your communication is coming from a Fanatics email address (including @collectfanatics.com). For added security, where possible, apply through our company website at www.fanaticsinc.com/careers
The salary range represents base pay only and does not include short-term or long-term incentive compensation. This salary range is specific to Seattle and may not be applicable to other locations. When determining base pay, as part of a final compensation package, we consider several factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and training. For information about our benefits, please visit https://benefitsatfanatics.com/
Seattle Salary Range
$98,900-$123,050 USD
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