Art Director

About the role 

As an Art Director at Fortis Games, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the visual direction and quality of our games. Reporting to the VP of Art, you will be responsible for leading a team of talented artists, ensuring that our games meet the highest aesthetic and technical standards. Your mission will be to partner closely with Design, Engineering and Production to create visually stunning and immersive gaming experiences that resonate with players and enhance the overall gameplay experience.

• Actively support, evangelize, and help evolve the creative direction for the game in partnership and alignment with the Game Director and Executive Producer.
• Define and drive the artistic vision of the game.
• Accountable for all style guides and world guides, providing the full development team with clear visual direction that is aligned with the product Pillars
• Direct and lead the creative delivery of visual benchmarks.
• Direct and lead the creative delivery of all Art deliverables including 2D and 3D assets, VFX, Animation and more.
• Define and maintain a consistent visual style for the game, ensuring that all visual assets are cohesive and meet Fortis’ high quality bar
• Collaborate closely with game design and engineering to understand gameplay requirements and effectively communicate gameplay mechanics through game visuals.
• Anticipate future project challenges, spearhead solutions, and set high-level goals for the team.
•  Ensure that art content is optimized for performance across a variety of hardware and platforms, maintaining a balance between visual quality and performance.
• Actively support, mentor, and manage the Art leads and their direct reports by communicating department initiatives, sharing best practices, elevating leadership, and contributing as an Art Community member.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques in game art and visual effects, and apply this knowledge to continually improve our visual offerings.

What you’ll achieve

• You will define and uphold the artistic vision for the game, setting and maintaining high visual standards through the creation and management of style guides and world guides. Your efforts will ensure all visual assets are cohesive and aligned with the game’s product pillars.
• You will oversee the creative delivery of all art assets, including 2D and 3D assets, VFX, and animation, ensuring they meet Fortis Games' high-quality bar. You will also ensure that art content is optimized for performance across various hardware and platforms.
• You will collaborate with game design and engineering to integrate art seamlessly into the game, ensuring visual assets enhance gameplay. Additionally, you will lead and mentor a high-performing art team, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment.

What you’ll need to be successful

• You will have a game-maker mentality; you will think holistically about the game development process and how Art supports the game design and impacts the player experience
• Previous experience working on mobile games, ideally with a proven track record of shipping new IPs.
• Demonstrated experience in developing original IPs, from concept to launch to live operations, that resonate with players and stand out in the market.
• The ability to conceptualize, articulate and realize an original artistic vision that enhances the overall gaming experience and has broad appeal.
• Extensive experience with industry-standard art tools and software, such as Maya, 3ds Max, Unity and Marvelous Designer. 
• Proven experience in leading and managing a team of artists, with a focus on fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey artistic concepts and give feedback clearly and effectively to team members and stakeholders.
• A holistic view of how visual aesthetics impact all areas of game development, from user acquisition to production and live operations.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance creative vision with technical and business constraints and still deliver high-quality visual assets.
• A flexible and adaptable approach, with the ability to respond positively to change and manage uncertainty effectively.
• A natural curiosity and eagerness to learn, staying up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques in game art and visual effects.
• A commitment to creating an inclusive and collaborative work environment that values diverse perspectives and fosters a culture of respect and teamwork.