MMORPG Game Designer

This contract position supports game design and content production for FINAL FANTASY XIV, a long-running MMORPG operated through regular updates. The designer plans, creates, implements, and adjusts new content while helping maintain existing systems. Updates are released approximately every three to four months, allowing player feedback to be reflected in the game on a frequent basis.

The position includes several possible areas of responsibility. A scenario designer writes scenarios and establishes the setting for content added in each patch. Related work includes creating documentation that communicates the world setting to artists and level designers, writing in-game flavor text, naming locations, non-player characters, and items, proofreading game text, and ordering and managing related resources. The role also covers the creation and adjustment of data for stories, locations, characters, and items.

A battle content designer plans monsters and boss encounters for newly implemented battle content and creates the associated data. Responsibilities also include preparing planning documents and specifications and adjusting the balance of different types of content. A level designer plans and creates levels or maps for new content in line with the game systems and scenarios, prepares planning documents and specifications, and adjusts content balance. Other planner duties may be assigned based on suitability.

Required qualifications differ by area. Scenario designers need enough play experience to understand FINAL FANTASY XIV’s systems and world, including completion of the main quests through 暁月のフィナーレ, smooth communication in Japanese, and basic Excel operation. Battle content and level designers need comparable play experience in FINAL FANTASY XIV or an equivalent online MMO, smooth communication in Japanese, and basic Excel operation. Logical thinking and the ability to explain ideas to others are desirable for all areas. Scenario designers are also expected to have substantial knowledge in a specific area of interest and knowledge of the FINAL FANTASY XIV setting.

Application materials are specified for each area. Scenario applicants should provide an overview of products or works they helped develop and a clear summary of their responsibilities, with text excerpts if available. They must also propose an RPG quest based on “A Town with a Windmill,” including a plot and a script written with dialogue and stage directions; if the story spans multiple quests, the plot should cover the complete story. Battle applicants should submit a properly formatted overview of a boss for an action-game content concept, explaining the idea clearly, together with their FINAL FANTASY XIV play history. Level applicants should submit a properly formatted map commissioning document for an action-game map, explaining its level-design points, also with their FINAL FANTASY XIV play history.

The work location is in Shibuya, Tokyo.