📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Senior Game & Marketing Artist - Casual Games
🔹 Company: Microsoft
🔹 Location: Redmond, Washington, United States
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time
🔹 Category: Game Development
🔹 Date Posted: July 18, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: Mid-Senior level (5-10 years)
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Supporting multiple products, both live games and new titles in development
- Defining the look and feel of new games and creating marketing and branding assets
- Collaborating with a cross-functional team to optimize artistic aspects of game development
- Considering player needs, business goals, and studio values when making recommendations
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong artistic background and experience in game development. The successful candidate will be able to balance creative vision with practical implementation and business objectives.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Contribute to the artistic aspects of game development from concept sketches to game-ready assets
✅ Collaborate with a cross-functional team to define the look and feel of new games
✅ Create marketing and branding assets to support both live games and new titles
✅ Consider player needs, business goals, and studio values when making recommendations to leadership
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a mix of creative and technical tasks, requiring strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with various teams.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, Game Design, or a related field
Experience: 5-10 years of experience in game development, with a focus on artistic design and marketing
Required Skills:
- Proficient in game engines (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine)
- Strong portfolio demonstrating artistic skills and game development experience
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills
- Ability to consider player needs, business goals, and studio values in decision-making
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with marketing and branding for games
- Familiarity with Microsoft's creative processes and studio values
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with a strong artistic background and relevant game development experience are likely to be successful in this role.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $100,000 - $150,000 per year (based on industry standards for a mid-senior level game artist role in the Seattle area)
Benefits:
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) matching
- Paid time off (vacation, sick, and holidays)
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Tuition assistance
Working Hours: Full-time, typically Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, with flexibility for project needs
ASSUMPTION: The provided salary range is an estimate based on industry standards and may vary depending on the candidate's experience and skills.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Microsoft is a multinational technology company that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells computer software, consumer electronics, and personal computers and services. The Casual Games team focuses on developing popular and enduring games like Solitaire, Sudoku, Minesweeper, and Mahjong.
Company Size: Microsoft has over 180,000 employees worldwide, providing a large and diverse work environment.
Founded: Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
Company Description:
- Microsoft is committed to empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
- The Casual Games team aims to delight players of all ages with exciting, engaging gameplay across various platforms.
- Microsoft fosters a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
Company Specialties:
- Operating systems (Windows)
- Productivity and business processes (Office, Dynamics)
- Intelligent cloud (Azure)
- Casual games (Solitaire, Sudoku, Minesweeper, Mahjong)
Company Website: microsoft.com
ASSUMPTION: Working at Microsoft offers opportunities for professional growth and exposure to diverse projects and teams.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Mid-Senior level (5-10 years of experience)
Reporting Structure: This role reports to the Design & Art Team Lead and collaborates with cross-functional teams, including game designers, engineers, and producers.
Work Arrangement: This role is on-site, with the possibility of hybrid work arrangements in the future.
Growth Opportunities:
- Contributing to the creative processes of new games and expanding the Casual Games portfolio
- Gaining experience in marketing and branding for games
- Developing leadership skills by influencing cross-functional teams and making thoughtful recommendations to leadership
ASSUMPTION: This role offers opportunities for professional growth within the Casual Games team and the broader Microsoft organization.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: The Casual Games team is based in Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, with a modern and collaborative work environment.
Office Location(s): 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052
Geographic Context:
- Redmond is located in the Seattle metropolitan area, offering a mix of urban and suburban living.
- The region is known for its vibrant tech industry, with many companies headquartered nearby.
- Redmond offers a variety of recreational activities, including hiking, cycling, and water sports.
Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexibility for project needs and potential overtime during game launches or development crunch times.
ASSUMPTION: Working on-site at Microsoft's headquarters provides opportunities for collaboration and integration with the broader Microsoft community.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application submission
- Phone or video screen with the hiring manager
- Art portfolio review and technical assessment
- On-site or virtual interview with the design and art team
- Final interview with the studio leadership
Key Assessment Areas:
- Artistic skills and game development experience
- Communication and collaboration skills
- Ability to consider player needs, business goals, and studio values
- Cultural fit with Microsoft and the Casual Games team
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your artistic skills, game development experience, and ability to consider player needs, business goals, and studio values.
- Prepare a strong portfolio demonstrating your artistic skills and game development experience.
- Research Microsoft's mission and values to demonstrate your alignment with the company culture.
ATS Keywords: Game Development, Artistic Design, Marketing, Branding, Collaboration, Concept Sketching, Asset Creation, Creative Processes, Player Needs, Business Goals, Studio Values, Thoughtful Recommendations
ASSUMPTION: The application process for this role may take several weeks, depending on the team's interview schedule and the number of applicants.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Game engines: Unity, Unreal Engine
- Art creation tools: Photoshop, Illustrator, Blender, ZBrush
- Project management tools: Jira, Trello, Asana
- Communication and collaboration tools: Microsoft Teams, Slack, email
ASSUMPTION: The required tools and technologies may vary depending on the specific projects the candidate works on.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- One Microsoft
- Innovation
- Customer Obsessed
- One Microsoft
- Growth Mindset
- Inclusive
Work Style:
- Collaborative
- Adaptable
- Data-driven
- Customer-focused
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you thrive in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment?
- Are you comfortable considering player needs, business goals, and studio values in your decision-making?
- Do you have a growth mindset and a willingness to adapt to new tools and processes?
ASSUMPTION: Candidates who align with Microsoft's company values and work style are likely to be successful in this role.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Balancing creative vision with practical implementation and business objectives
- Managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
- Adapting to changes in project scope or priorities
- Working in a large, diverse organization with a complex hierarchy
ASSUMPTION: These challenges can be overcome with strong communication, collaboration, and adaptability skills.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- This role is similar to a Senior Game Artist or a Marketing Artist role in other game development studios.
- However, this role is unique in its focus on both game development and marketing within the casual games genre.
- Career paths may include advancing to a leadership role within the Casual Games team or transitioning to a different game development team or studio within Microsoft.
ASSUMPTION: Comparing this role to similar roles in other organizations can provide valuable insights into the unique aspects of this opportunity.
📝 Sample Projects
- Contributing to the artistic aspects of a new casual game from concept sketches to game-ready assets
- Creating marketing and branding assets for an existing live game to support a major update or event
- Collaborating with the cross-functional team to optimize the artistic aspects of a game based on player feedback and business goals
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the range of responsibilities and the balance between creative and technical tasks in this role.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- How does this role fit into the broader Casual Games team and Microsoft's overall strategy for casual games?
- What are the most significant challenges facing the Casual Games team, and how can this role help address them?
- How does Microsoft support the professional growth and development of its employees?
- What is the team's approach to considering player needs, business goals, and studio values in decision-making?
- How does the Casual Games team collaborate with other teams and studios within Microsoft?
ASSUMPTION: Asking thoughtful questions during the interview process can help candidates better understand the role, the team, and the company.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your artistic skills, game development experience, and ability to consider player needs, business goals, and studio values.
- Prepare a strong portfolio demonstrating your artistic skills and game development experience.
- Follow up with the hiring manager after one week if you have not heard back about your application status.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
