About the position
Microsoft Casual Games develops some of the most popular and enduring games in the world. From Solitaire to Sudoku, Minesweeper to Mahjong, for over 30 years Casual Games has delighted players of all ages with exciting, engaging gameplay on Windows, iOS, Android, and the Web. The Microsoft Casual Games Design & Art Team is hiring a Senior Game & Marketing Artist to support multiple products - both our live games, as well as exciting new titles currently in development. As a member of a dynamic cross-functional team, you'll contribute to a diverse set of products in the casual gaming space, help define the look and feel of new games, and create marketing and branding assets to support both. You'll be involved in the artistic aspects of game development from concept sketches to creating and helping to implement game-ready assets for launch, collaborating with our cross-functional team to optimize all the while. You'll contribute to a new era of creative processes at Microsoft Casual Games, considering a wide range of player needs, business goals, and studio values when considering art and style options, and making thoughtful recommendations to leadership. Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
Responsibilities
- Concept, iterate, and produce polished 2D assets (characters, environments, UI) for PC, mobile, and web.
- Define and drive the visual tone and aesthetic across game titles.
- Ensure asset consistency and optimization across platforms.
- Collaborate with engineering to implement and optimize final assets.
- Explore diverse visual styles and refine concepts into cohesive visuals.
- Align with existing art direction or help define new visual styles.
- Apply feedback from senior team and leadership to iterate effectively.
- Design visual assets for marketing, social media, announcements, and app stores.
- Create logos and visual identity systems for games and the studio.
- Use marketing strategy and user data to guide creative execution.
- Collaborate with Marketing and Design to establish and maintain brand guidelines.
- Partner with Design, Product, Engineering, and Marketing to deliver high-quality, functional assets.
- Present work in reviews, balancing user needs, business goals, and visual quality.
- Communicate progress and gather feedback to refine designs.
Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Art, Writing, Behavioral Science, Data Science, Game Design, or related field AND 4+ years experience in game development and design, systems design, content production, or related field OR Associate's Degree in Computer Science, Art, Writing, Behavioral Science, Game Design, or related field AND 6+ years experience in game development and design, systems design, content production, or related field.
- Have shipped at least 1 title released to consumers/shipped game.
- 1+ year of experience in art, design, or a related field, specifically working on computer games or entertainment projects.
- 3+ years of experience using Figma and Adobe Suite.
Nice-to-haves
- A portfolio that showcases a variety of visual styles and techniques, preferably should include game art (both concepts and final assets) as well as marketing and branding assets.
- Bachelor's Degree or Certificate in Design, Fine Arts, Human Computer Interaction, Visual Communications or related art field AND 5+ years' experience in art, design, or a related art field working on computer games or entertainment.
- 6+ years' experience using Figma and Adobe Suite.
- Experience shipping at least 1 casual game project or product end to end, AND at least 2 games OR other entertainment-related products end-to-end.
Benefits
- The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 per year.
- In the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is USD $158,400 - $258,000 per year.
