Bennett Jobling - Lead Game Designer Resume
Bennett Jobling
they/them • Lead Game Designer | Systems Designer | Creative Director
bennettjobling@gmail.com • 925.577.3642
http://bennett.games • linkedin.com/in/bennettmakesgames • artstation.com/that_bennett_person
Professional Summary
Bennett Jobling is a systems-focused Lead Game Designer with 7+ years leading cross-functional design teams and proven expertise in multiplayer systems design, competitive balance, and Unreal Engine implementation. With extensive experience shipping PC and console titles, they excel at translating complex gameplay mechanics into engaging player experiences while maintaining team alignment and project vision. Expert in live service optimization, PvPvE balance design, and leading high-performing creative teams through full development cycles.
Core Competencies
Game Design:
Camera and Control Systems Design • Competitive Gameplay • Live Service Design • Player Progression Systems • Cross-Platform Development • Session-Based Design • Asymmetric Multiplayer • Level Design • Stealth Mechanics • Horror Game Design • User Experience Design • Narrative Design • Living World Design
Leadership & Management:
Creative Team Management • Cross-Functional Collaboration • Design Mentoring • Process Documentation • Agile Development • Quality Control • Stakeholder Alignment • Remote Team Leadership • Content Strategy • IP Development • Motion Capture Direction • Voice Over Direction
Technical Implementation:
Unreal Engine 5 (8 years) • Blueprint Scripting • Unity (3 years) • Network Architecture Awareness • Client-Server Design • A/B Testing Frameworks • Analytics & Telemetry • Performance Optimization
Professional Experience
Lead Systems Designer | Consulting
Freelance
Jan 2020 - Present
(5+ years)
Los Angeles, CA
  • Architected competitive multiplayer systems for multiple indie projects, focusing on player balance, session-based gameplay, and cross-platform compatibility
  • Led cross-disciplinary teams (Art, Design, Engineering) on stealth-action titles, implementing room-by-room level design with emphasis on tactical gameplay and player choice
  • Architected tile-based exploration and progression systems for multiplayer environments, ensuring seamless integration between competitive mechanics and narrative elements
  • Designed and Greyboxed levels for Walkabout Mini Golf (PC/Console), collaborating with department leads on iterative balance, testing, and art direction
  • Directed stealth/horror gameplay mechanics including enemy AI behavior, player detection systems, and asymmetric multiplayer scenarios
Lead Game Designer
Deck Nine Games
May 2023 - Jan 2024
(9 months)
Remote
  • Managed team of 5 designers (Junior to Principal level) while implementing Unreal Engine 5 systems for AAA console/PC development, resulting in 50% acceleration in production timeline
  • Owned cross-functional coordination with Engineering, Audio, and Production teams to deliver cohesive gameplay systems and maintain project-level development pipelines
  • Championed design documentation standards and feedback cycles across multiple disciplinary teams, streamlining collaboration and reducing iteration time for complex gameplay features
  • Implemented narrative systems architecture with focus on player agency and replayability, ensuring scalable design for post-launch content expansion
Lead Narrative Designer
Night School Studio / Netflix Games
Jul 2020 - Oct 2022
(2 years, 4 months)
  • Collaborated with Business and Development teams to identify features and content initiatives that achieved player satisfaction KPIs and engagement metrics for console/PC audiences
  • Owned gameplay expression of narrative elements across multiple shipped titles, ensuring seamless integration between story progression and core gameplay loops
  • Created comprehensive design documentation for cross-studio initiatives, maintaining consistency across distributed development teams and external partners
  • Managed stakeholder alignment between Studio Director, Writing Director, and Development leads on feature prioritization and creative vision
Lead Narrative Designer / Creative Director
Survios
Mar 2017 - Jun 2019
(2 years, 4 months)
Greater Los Angeles Area
  • Owned creative development across 8 critically acclaimed VR titles for PC and console platforms, managing Art, Design, and Engineering collaboration on multiple concurrent projects
  • Led cross-functional creative teams including Writers, Designers, Artists, and contractors, establishing mentorship programs and creative development processes
  • Creative Directed $4 million AAA-quality IP development for HBO's Westworld, overseeing full production cycle from concept to retail launch with focus on immersive gameplay systems, high quality narrative, and stunning visuals
  • Coordinated Voice Over and Motion Capture direction for multiple shipped titles, ensuring end-to-end quality control and brand consistency across diverse game genres
Senior Game Designer
Glu Mobile
Feb 2016 - Mar 2017
(1 year, 2 months)
Long Beach, CA
  • Designed competitive and social gameplay systems driving user engagement KPIs, including daily challenges, progression balancing, and reward distribution systems
  • Increased player retention by 30% through data-driven campaign content strategy, implementing A/B testing frameworks for feature optimization and player segmentation
  • Owned UX optimization across all game features, collaborating with UI teams to enhance player comprehension and engagement, resulting in 15% overall engagement increase
Game Designer
Disney Interactive Studios
Jun 2013 - May 2014
Palo Alto, CA
  • Architected complete game economy systems including crafting recipes, drop rates, XP progression, and resource acquisition mechanics for Disney IP
  • Designed data-backed progression curves tracking item distribution, player advancement, and monetization balance across 30+ content updates and 6 seasonal features
  • Collaborated with Engineering, QA, and Production to ensure technical implementation met Disney's quality standards and brand identity requirements
Game Designer
Zynga
Aug 2010 - Apr 2013
San Francisco, CA
  • Led Content Design team, mentoring new designers in systems design, implementation, and live service optimization for multiple concurrent social games
  • Reversed declining engagement metrics by 50% through strategic design and content adjustments, utilizing player data analysis and community feedback integration
  • Created social engagement mechanics that increased user-to-user interaction and session length, leveraging existing systems for enhanced player retention and monetization

Education & Certifications
Bachelor of Science, Animation and Visual Effects
Expression College for Digital Arts (2009)
UX Design Certification
General Assembly (2020)
Notable Achievements
  • 7+ years leading design teams across PC, console, mobile, and VR platforms
  • Shipped 15+ titles with combined revenue exceeding $50M
  • Established design processes adopted studio-wide at multiple AAA developers
  • Recognized expertise in stealth mechanics, competitive balance, and live service optimization
  • Proven track record of accelerating production timelines while maintaining quality standards
  • Experience managing teams ranging from 5-15 direct reports across multiple disciplines