MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Why are you expanding your studios? What are you recruiting for?
Developing for the next generation of games calls for more resources, and we’re aiming to add even more talented folks to our studio – both in Austin and in Lyon, France. As we head into development on our next project, growing our teams now makes the most sense for us.
How many staff are you currently looking to take on? And from what fields?
We are currently looking to add roughly 30 people. We are expanding every department so we are looking to add people to the art, animation, programming, and level design teams. We like to hire folks with a range of industry experience, from fresh talent all the way up to the most senior of levels.
Beyond possessing skills in their discipline, we are interested in candidates that are truly into the kind of games that we’re passionate about at Arkane – first-person games with depth, interesting worlds filled with player choices and simulation, and so on.
How are you searching/reaching out to these applicants?
We’re utilising our network in the game development community to reach out to people. We are also using traditional recruitment methods and job postings on industry trade sites.
Why would people be interested in working for you? What are the benefits?
There are many benefits to joining our team. Folks here get to come into work each day and create the kind of game that we love. Joining a team who made a title that received many ‘Game of the Year’ awards from all over the industry is a draw we hear about from lots of folks.
Austin is an excellent place to live. It’s a fun city with a real sense of community. It’s been named a top city to live in the US. There is a wealth of creativity here – and we love our live music.
Also, as part of the ZeniMax family, we offer great employee benefits.
What pressures do you face on your next project given the great success and widespread acclaim for Dishonored?
We’re putting pressure on ourselves to make a game that’s even more fun and compelling then the last with the latest hardware. That’s going to keep us on our toes.
How will you follow that up and improve on it?
We’re not talking about what we’re up to just yet. But generally, we learned a lot while making Dishonored. We now know what worked and what we can do to improve players’ experiences. We’re also working with our creative team who is always eager to explore new territory.
What was the biggest lesson you learned with Dishonored?
The difference between complexity and depth. You can make games that are deep, yet and accessible at the same time. That’s a great win.
Is it safe to say Dishonored put Arkane on the map more so than any other previous project? What have been the advantages and disadvantages of this?
Absolutely. We’ve seen a major surge in talented candidates interested in joining our team. There are so many passionate developers in our industry, and we really want to add folks who fit well with our culture.
