Art Director - Core

Job description

**Who We Are** At 2K, we create some of the most iconic and culture-shaping video games in entertainment, including ***NBA® 2K***, one of the top-selling franchises in the world, and legendary titles like ***BioShock®***, ***Borderlands®***, ***Mafia***, ***Sid Meier’s Civilization®***, and ***XCOM®***, as well as fan favorites ***WWE® 2K***, ***TopSpin®***, and ***PGA TOUR® 2K***. We build unforgettable experiences by pushing the boundaries of creativity, authenticity and innovation across every genre. Our portfolio is brought to life by some of the most influential game development studios in the world. **Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games, 31st Union, Cloud Chamber, Gearbox, HB Studios,** and **2K SportsLab** create world-class experiences across platforms. But what truly powers 2K is our people. We believe the best ideas come from teams that feel empowered, supported, and inspired. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive workplace where people are encouraged to **come as they are** and do their best work. **What We Need** 2K is looking for a talented and passionate Art Director to join our Creative Strategy team, supporting a portfolio of world-class Core titles. This role will help define and elevate the visual expression of some of 2K's biggest franchises from early positioning and brand identity through campaign execution. Working closely with Creative Strategists, Brand, Product Marketing, development studios, and external agency partners, you'll help establish the creative tone, visual language, and marketing identity that bring each franchise to life. As part of the Creative Strategy team, you'll partner with strategists from the earliest stages of development, helping transform strategic thinking into compelling visual identities, creative territories, and campaign directions. You'll contribute to franchise positioning by creating visual explorations, brand systems, and testing materials that help shape creative direction long before campaigns enter production. We're looking for someone who combines exceptional visual craft with strong conceptual thinking, a passion for games and gaming culture, and the ability to build compelling brand identities that scale across franchises, campaigns, and channels. This is a hybrid position working onsite 3 days a week out of the Novato, CA or Los Angeles, CA office location. **What You Will Do** - Define and evolve visual identities for 2K franchises and marketing campaigns across a portfolio of Core titles. - Partner with Creative Strategists to translate brand positioning into compelling visual directions, creative territories, and franchise identities. - Help establish the creative tone, visual language, and overall marketing expression for new franchises, products, and campaigns. - Develop original concepts, mood boards, visual explorations, presentation materials, and creative territories that communicate strategic opportunities and inspire creative development. - Create early creative concepts and testing materials that support positioning research, audience testing, and creative validation. - Lead the visual development of integrated marketing campaigns from early concept through final execution. - Collaborate closely with Product Marketing, Brand, development studios, Creative Services, production teams, and external agencies to ensure creative consistency and excellence throughout the creative process. - Review creative work throughout development, providing clear, constructive feedback that elevates quality while maintaining alignment to the original strategic vision. - Develop and maintain brand guidelines, style guides, creative toolkits, and visual systems that ensure consistency across campaigns and franchises. - Ensure all creative work reflects the highest standards of quality, product accuracy, and cultural relevance. - Manage multiple projects simultaneously while balancing creative excellence with timelines, production realities, and business priorities. - Stay current on design, entertainment, gaming, and cultural trends to continually raise the creative standard across 2K's publishing organization. - Proactively contribute ideas that improve creative processes, workflows, and collaboration across teams. **What Will Make You a Great Fit** - 8+ years of experience in art direction, visual design, branding, or creative leadership, preferably within gaming, entertainment, advertising, or consumer brands. - An exceptional portfolio demonstrating world-class visual craft across brand identity, campaign development, and integrated marketing. - Strong conceptual thinking with the ability to translate strategic ideas into compelling visual systems and creative experiences. - Experience developing and evolving brand identities across multiple campaigns, products, or entertainment properties. - Excellent presentation, communication, and storytelling skills with the ability to articulate creative rationale to cross-functional partners and senior stakeholders. - Experience collaborating with strategists, marketers, designers, writers, producers, developers, and external creative partners. - Deep understanding of typography, composition, color, photography, motion, and visual storytelling. - Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign). Experience with motion design, 3D workflows, or Unreal Engine is a plus. - Passion for games, gaming culture, entertainment, and visual storytelling. - Highly collaborative, curious, and open-minded, with a desire to explore new ideas while elevating the work of those around you. - Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, balancing multiple priorities while maintaining exceptional creative standards. - A willingness to roll up your sleeves and help solve creative challenges wherever they're needed. The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $155,600 and $230,300 per year. However, base pay offered is based on market location and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for employees in regular roles may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, provided that temporary or intern roles will not be eligible for many of these payments or benefits. Details of participation in compensation and benefit plans (if applicable) will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an "at-will position" and the company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and market factors. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform their essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need reasonable accommodation. Please note that 2K Games and its studios never uses instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews and when emailing, only use <2K.com> accounts. Please note that 2K Publishing is unable to provide visa sponsorship or assistance for this position. All candidates must be legally authorized to work in United States without requiring current or future employer sponsorship. #LI-Hybrid