Principal Game Artist

Zynga • London, UK • 1d ago

What you'll do

Define and elevate the artistic vision. Drive the visual direction of new and existing casual mobile games, exploring distinctive and engaging art styles that support gameplay, strengthen the player experience and bring both new and established IP to life.
Lead through hands-on creativity. Create high-quality concepts, mock-ups and game-ready assets across 2D, 3D and AI-assisted workflows. Set the benchmark for artistic excellence through your own work, from early exploration to final in-game implementation.
Champion AI-driven creative workflows. Explore and integrate AI-assisted tools into the art production process, combining technical expertise with strong artistic judgment. Develop efficient, repeatable workflows that accelerate iteration while maintaining creative quality and visual consistency.
Prototype, iterate and innovate. Rapidly develop and test visual concepts, using player insights, feedback and performance data to refine the artistic direction. Embrace experimentation and adapt quickly to identify the strongest creative opportunities.
Provide artistic leadership and mentorship. Act as a creative reference for artists across game art, VFX, UI and animation. Share expertise, provide constructive feedback and help raise the overall quality of the team's work through collaboration and mentorship, without the need for direct people management.
Collaborate across disciplines. Partner closely with game designers, developers, producers and marketing teams to ensure artistic decisions align with gameplay objectives, technical requirements and the overall player experience.
Drive quality and consistency. Establish and maintain high visual standards throughout development, ensuring that art assets, styles and creative solutions deliver a cohesive, polished and engaging experience for players.

Skills to create thrills

Extensive experience as a Lead or Principal Artist in the gaming industry, with a strong portfolio demonstrating artistic excellence and creative ownership.
Hands-on experience with AI-assisted art creation and a passion for exploring emerging creative technologies, combining technical expertise with 2D and 3D mastery to deliver compelling visual styles.
Exceptional artistic skills and hands-on expertise across both 2D and 3D art production.
Strong art direction capabilities, with the ability to define, develop and execute compelling visual styles.
Practical experience with AI-assisted art creation and a passion for exploring emerging creative technologies.
An excellent understanding of casual mobile game aesthetics, visual trends and player expectations.
Ability to rapidly prototype, iterate and adapt creative work in a fast-paced development environment.
Strong understanding of game art pipelines, technical constraints and in-game asset implementation.
A player-focused mindset, with the ability to connect artistic decisions to gameplay and engagement.
Proven ability to influence creative direction, mentor fellow artists and elevate artistic quality without formal management responsibilities.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across multiple disciplines.

Bonus points

Experience working in small, agile teams, new game development or rapid prototyping environments.
Hands-on experience implementing art assets directly in Unity.
Experience in world building, animation, VFX or video production.
Experience developing new IP or adapting established IP for new game experiences.
Experience building or optimizing AI-assisted art production pipelines.
Previous experience contributing to the visual direction of successful casual mobile games.

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