DEVELOP/JOBS: SEGA HARDlight – “Our people ensure that we continually create a passionate and creative environment so that we can make quality games”

This content was created in association with SEGA as part of DEVELOP/JOBS.

As a trusted internal SEGA of Europe studio, our title list continues to expand: we’ve just released Sonic Dash+ on Apple Arcade, to add to ChuChu Rocket! Universe and Sonic Racing that were released on the platform at launch in 2019. We are really proud of our mobile games Sonic Dash, Sonic Boom and Sonic Forces, and continue to develop these titles with a hardworking and dedicated team. We’ve just finished off supporting Two Point Studios with Two Point Hospital across a range of platforms and multiple DLC. We’re now focused on supporting the new Sonic The Hedgehog 2 movie in our existing titles and working closely with two other SEGA West studios to help deliver their AAA PC/console games for later this year. Then we’ve got a new unannounced project that we’ve been working on since the end of last year that requires us to grow the studio and should be released in late 2023.

We strive every day to ensure that the studio has an inspiring and creative atmosphere and with a dedicated leadership team leading the way, we are committed to improving the employee experience within the studio enabling our culture and working environment to be supportive and open for everyone. Our people are important to our growth and future objectives, and to ensure that we continually create a passionate and creative environment so that we can make quality games. Now is a great time to join HARDlight!

Location(s): Leamington Spa

Team size: 74

Key projects and hiring areas: Sonic mobile, Apple Arcade, porting projects and a NEW secret game

Recruitment contact: Sol Argueso, lead recruiter sol.argueso@sega.co.uk

FROM THE TEAM: DAN ROSSATI, CREATIVE DIRECTOR SEGA HARDLIGHT – LEAMINGTON SPA

My role’s pretty exciting; on the one hand, we get to work on top tier SEGA IPs, on the other, we’re beginning to develop our own. Tied to that, the folks we hire are a good mix of level headed problem solving, collaboration and compassion, which keeps things far saner than your typical snapshot of the industry’s dev process.

Day to day, we’re working in small, multiskilled teams tackling a really varied array of projects across the studio. We’re constantly learning and expanding the studio’s capabilities and expertise. This is in part due to the Studio’s engineering mandate, developing modular tech that’s shared across projects, so in essence, tech developed on our live project’s feeds into the new projects and vice versa.

To support that in my role, I try to Identify unique opportunities to make games that have the potential to entertain typically underserved audiences whilst improving what we can do as a studio in at least one area, even within well-established IPs. The hope is that Internally, it feels exciting and that everything we do feels like it’s part of a larger vision of the studio’s future.

FROM THE TEAM: LUCIE PELLETIER, 3D ARTIST SEGA HARDLIGHT – LEAMINGTON SPA

SEGA HARDlight is everything I wanted in a studio and more. I have been part of their amazing team for a year and a half with most of that time spent working remotely, and I have not seen the time pass at all! I was first drawn to the styles of the studio’s games, bright and colourful and with great IPs to boot. They looked like they would be fun to work on and I was not disappointed to discover that they absolutely are.

One of the most important points for me is to work in a positive and enjoyable environment, and from the first time I met the art team in my interviews I knew this place had exactly what I was looking for. The people here are all incredibly lovely and always positive, always striving to improve the visuals of their games and try new things. Even across each discipline it’s easy to talk to anyone and they are all open to share their knowledge. It’s very uplifting to work in such an environment where you can both grow and have fun.

NOW HIRING!

Just some of the many roles open at SEGA HARDlight

JUNIOR LEVEL DESIGNER – FTC

We’re looking for a Junior Level Designer to join our games team working on a new exciting platform title. You will be passionate about creating game environments and experiences. under your belt which demonstrate your design approach and ability.

EXPERIENCED/SENIOR LEVEL DESIGNER – PLATFORM GAME

We’re looking for an Experienced or Senior Level Designer to join our games team working on a new exciting platform title. You will be passionate about creating game environments and experiences and will already have a few games under your belt which demonstrate your design approach and ability.

EXPERIENCED/SENIOR DESIGNER – SONIC MOBILE

HARDlight are looking for a talented hands-on Designer to help craft the future of our live mobile Sonic titles. The right person for the role needs to be excited to shape the future of mobile F2P monetisation in a way that feels rewarding and fair to our players but allows the game to continually grow and improve.

JUNIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER

Do you love working with Unity to create games that have an impact on an adoring fanbase? If so then we have an opportunity for you to work with the devoted team here on our live mobile games involving a world-renowned IP with 100’s of millions of downloads to boot!

EXPERIENCED/SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER

Experienced/Senior Software Engineer We are looking for an Experienced/Senior Software Engineer who will be a member of our game development team, and a role model for junior team members at SEGA HARDlight.

SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER (PORTING)

As a Senior Software Engineer you will not only be a key member of development but also a role model for junior team members in our game porting projects at SEGA HARDlight.

3D ARTIST / ENVIRONMENT ARTIST

SEGA HARDlight is looking for a 3D artist / Environment artist to join us on a new, exciting and ambitious narrative driven platform game. We welcome applicants from all experience levels to apply for this role.

VFX ARTIST – 6/9 MONTH CONTRACT

SEGA HARDlight is looking for an experienced/senior VFX artist to work on a new, exciting, and ambitious platform title in development. This is a contract position for up to 9 months to start later in the year that can be performed remotely or in our UK studio.