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Narrative Designer

Fanatics Collectibles, Seattle, WA, USA

Pay: $98,900-$123,050/yr

Job type: Full Time


About Us

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.

About the Team

Fanatics Collectibles is building the future of trading card games.

The Fanatics TCG studio is focused on creating original worlds that are designed to live for decades - expressed through gameplay, art, story, and collectible objects. Our ambition is to build franchises that are not only widely played, but deeply felt.

Role Summary

We are seeking a

Narrative Designer

to help shape the worlds, characters, and stories that define our games.

This is not a role focused solely on writing text. It is a role about

building worlds

- establishing the underlying logic, tone, and emotional core of new universes, and ensuring that every part of the player experience reflects that foundation.

You will work closely with Creative, Game Design, and Art to develop narrative systems that live inside the cards themselves - where mechanics, visuals, and story reinforce one another.

The ideal candidate brings strong storytelling instincts, a systems mindset, and a passion for creating worlds that players want to return to again and again.

What You'll Do

Build Worlds That Can Sustain a Franchise
Develop the

foundational lore, cosmology, and narrative structure

of new TCG worlds.
Define factions, cultures, characters, and conflicts that can evolve over many sets and years.
Help establish the

tone, themes, and emotional identity

of each franchise.
Integrate Story with Game and Product

Partner with Game Design to ensure that

mechanics and narrative reinforce each other .
Collaborate with Art and Creative teams to align on

visual storytelling and world cohesion .
Contribute to the development of

set themes, narrative arcs, and character moments .
Design Narrative Systems for Cards

Develop approaches for how story is expressed through

card names, flavor text, mechanics, and set structure .
Ensure that narrative is

discoverable through play and collection , not just external content.
Help define how narrative evolves across releases and expansions.
Create and Support Narrative Content

Write

flavor text, card names, and supporting narrative content .
Contribute to world guides, story bibles, and internal documentation.
Support external storytelling efforts (e.g., web content, marketing beats, potential media extensions).
Collaborate Across the Studio

Work closely with Creative, Design, Product, and Marketing teams to ensure narrative consistency.
Participate in early ideation, helping shape concepts before they become fully defined.
Provide feedback that elevates the

coherence and emotional impact

of the world.
What You Bring

3+ years of experience

in narrative design, writing, or worldbuilding for games, publishing, or related media.
Strong ability to develop

original worlds, characters, and narrative frameworks .
Experience working in

collaborative, cross-functional environments .
Ability to balance

creative vision with system constraints .
Excellent writing skills across both

short-form (e.g., flavor text)

and

long-form (e.g., lore, story guides) .
Passion for

fantasy, sci-fi, and worldbuilding-driven storytelling .
Preferred Qualifications

Experience working on

trading card games, tabletop games, or live service games .
Background in

fantasy or sci-fi writing .
Familiarity with how narrative can be expressed through

game systems and mechanics .
Experience contributing to

original IP or franchise development .

Why Join Fanatics TCG

Fanatics Collectibles is building the future of fandom.

The Fanatics TCG studio is a rare opportunity to create entirely new worlds - worlds that will be expressed through millions of cards, shared across global communities, and evolved over many years.

As a Narrative Designer, you will help define the stories that live inside those worlds - shaping the characters, conflicts, and moments that players and collectors connect with.

If you're excited about building worlds and telling stories that unfold one card at a time, we'd love to hear from you.

Ensure your Fanatics job offer is legitimate and don't fall victim to fraud. Fanatics never seeks payment from job applicants. Feel free to ask your recruiter for a phone call or other type of communication for interview, and ensure your communication is coming from a Fanatics email address (including @collectfanatics.com). For added security, where possible, apply through our company website at www.fanaticsinc.com/careers

The salary range represents base pay only and does not include short-term or long-term incentive compensation. This salary range is specific to Seattle and may not be applicable to other locations. When determining base pay, as part of a final compensation package, we consider several factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and training. For information about our benefits, please visit https://benefitsatfanatics.com/

Seattle Salary Range

$98,900-$123,050 USD

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