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RESPAWN ENTERTAINMENT
Greater Vancouver Metropolitan Area
Franchise Art Director (Apex Legends)
Full-timeDirectorPosted 3 weeks ago
About This Role
Description & Requirements
Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.
The Franchise Art Director is the steward of the Apex franchise’s visual direction, responsible for defining, protecting, and advancing its long-term artistic ambition across every touchpoint, from in-game experiences to marketing and future expansion. This role sets the visual standards for Apex and ensures the franchise evolves in bold, innovative, and culturally resonant ways.
As a senior strategic leader, you will articulate a clear and compelling visual vision that inspires teams, aligns stakeholders, and elevates Apex on a global stage. You will drive cohesion across teams, products, and timelines, ensuring creative excellence at scale. Moving seamlessly from franchise pillars to art reviews and mentorship, you will empower teams to solve complex visual challenges and deliver breakthrough work.
In close partnership with Design, Production, and Creative leadership, you will champion a player-first vision that defines the future visual identity of Apex. You will guide art direction and visual strategy to achieve franchise goals while growing a passionate global community.
Based on-site in Los Angeles, CA; Madison, WI; or Vancouver, BC, you will report to the Franchise Creative Director and collaborate with Art, Design, studio, and EA publishing partners to align stakeholders, elevate our visual identity, and shape the next era of the Apex universe.
Key Responsibilities
Franchise Vision & Visual Cohesion
Apex Legends is more than a game - it’s an evolving universe. The Franchise Art Director ensures that as the experience grows, its artistic identity becomes stronger, sharper, and more iconic.
This is an opportunity to shape the future of one of the industry’s most recognizable live service franchises and leave a lasting creative legacy.
Pay Transparency - North America
Compensation And Benefits
The ranges listed below are what EA in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in these locations at the time of this posting. If you reside in a different location, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits. Pay offered will be determined based on a number of relevant business and candidate factors (e.g. education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs).
PAY RANGES
In the US, we offer a package of benefits including paid time off (3 weeks per year to start), 80 hours per year of sick time, 16 paid company holidays per year, 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.
For Canada, we offer a package of benefits including vacation (3 weeks per year to start), 10 days per year of sick time, paid top-up to EI/QPIP benefits up to 100% of base salary when you welcome a new child (12 weeks for maternity, and 4 weeks for parental/adoption leave), extended health/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.
About Electronic Arts
We’re proud to have an extensive portfolio of games and experiences, locations around the world, and opportunities across EA. We value adaptability, resilience, creativity, and curiosity. From leadership that brings out your potential, to creating space for learning and experimenting, we empower you to do great work and pursue opportunities for growth.
We adopt a holistic approach to our benefits programs, emphasizing physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support a balanced life. Our packages are tailored to meet local needs and may include healthcare coverage, mental well-being support, retirement savings, paid time off, family leaves, complimentary games, and more. We nurture environments where our teams can always bring their best to what they do.
Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will also consider employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. EA also makes workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law.
Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.
The Franchise Art Director is the steward of the Apex franchise’s visual direction, responsible for defining, protecting, and advancing its long-term artistic ambition across every touchpoint, from in-game experiences to marketing and future expansion. This role sets the visual standards for Apex and ensures the franchise evolves in bold, innovative, and culturally resonant ways.
As a senior strategic leader, you will articulate a clear and compelling visual vision that inspires teams, aligns stakeholders, and elevates Apex on a global stage. You will drive cohesion across teams, products, and timelines, ensuring creative excellence at scale. Moving seamlessly from franchise pillars to art reviews and mentorship, you will empower teams to solve complex visual challenges and deliver breakthrough work.
In close partnership with Design, Production, and Creative leadership, you will champion a player-first vision that defines the future visual identity of Apex. You will guide art direction and visual strategy to achieve franchise goals while growing a passionate global community.
Based on-site in Los Angeles, CA; Madison, WI; or Vancouver, BC, you will report to the Franchise Creative Director and collaborate with Art, Design, studio, and EA publishing partners to align stakeholders, elevate our visual identity, and shape the next era of the Apex universe.
Key Responsibilities
Franchise Vision & Visual Cohesion
- Define and evolve the long-term Art Direction vision for the Apex Legends franchise.
- Establish and maintain clear artistic pillars that guide characters, environments, cosmetics, cinematics, and brand expression.
- Ensure cohesion between gameplay aesthetics and the broader Apex universe.
- Anticipate future trends and evolve the franchise’s visual identity to remain genre-leading and culturally relevant.
- Drive visual innovation while preserving the core DNA that makes Apex recognizable and iconic.
- Ensure artistic consistency across:
- In-game content
- Key art & marketing materials
- Cinematics & trailers
- Licensed products & partnerships
- Emerging media and platform expansions
- Review and approve major visual deliverables to uphold franchise standards.
- Act as the final arbiter for visual decisions impacting brand identity.
- Provide high-level art direction across multiple product initiatives, including seasonal content, new Legends, map expansions, modes, and external media.
- Lead visual exploration and look-development for major franchise beats and long-range roadmap initiatives.
- Translate abstract creative goals into actionable direction for internal and external teams.
- Inspire, mentor, and elevate senior art leaders and multidisciplinary teams.
- Foster a culture of artistic excellence, curiosity, and bold experimentation.
- Encourage cross-team collaboration and healthy creative debate.
- Champion diversity of visual influences and global perspectives.
- 10+ years of experience in game development or interactive entertainment.
- Proven experience as an Art Director (or equivalent senior creative role) on a high-profile AAA title or live service franchise.
- Demonstrated success in defining or evolving a strong visual IP.
- Experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong understanding of game development pipelines and production realities.
- Exceptional visual literacy across character design, environments, UI, branding, and cinematics.
- Strong world-building instincts and the ability to define cohesive artistic systems.
- Strategic thinker capable of balancing creative ambition with business goals.
- Skilled communicator who can articulate vision clearly and persuasively.
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity and shaping long-term creative direction.
- Franchise Mindset: Thinks beyond individual seasons or features; builds for years, not months.
- Cultural Awareness: Understands how visual identity intersects with player communities and global trends.
- Icon Builder: Creates characters, worlds, and moments that become instantly recognizable.
- Guardian of Tone: Knows when to push boundaries and when to protect the core DNA.
- Innovation Driver: Seeks new artistic territory while maintaining competitive clarity.
Apex Legends is more than a game - it’s an evolving universe. The Franchise Art Director ensures that as the experience grows, its artistic identity becomes stronger, sharper, and more iconic.
This is an opportunity to shape the future of one of the industry’s most recognizable live service franchises and leave a lasting creative legacy.
Pay Transparency - North America
Compensation And Benefits
The ranges listed below are what EA in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in these locations at the time of this posting. If you reside in a different location, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits. Pay offered will be determined based on a number of relevant business and candidate factors (e.g. education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs).
PAY RANGES
- British Columbia (depending on location e.g. Vancouver vs. Victoria) *$187,000 - $259,400 CAD
- California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. San Francisco) *$210,600 - $320,000 USD
In the US, we offer a package of benefits including paid time off (3 weeks per year to start), 80 hours per year of sick time, 16 paid company holidays per year, 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.
For Canada, we offer a package of benefits including vacation (3 weeks per year to start), 10 days per year of sick time, paid top-up to EI/QPIP benefits up to 100% of base salary when you welcome a new child (12 weeks for maternity, and 4 weeks for parental/adoption leave), extended health/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.
About Electronic Arts
We’re proud to have an extensive portfolio of games and experiences, locations around the world, and opportunities across EA. We value adaptability, resilience, creativity, and curiosity. From leadership that brings out your potential, to creating space for learning and experimenting, we empower you to do great work and pursue opportunities for growth.
We adopt a holistic approach to our benefits programs, emphasizing physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support a balanced life. Our packages are tailored to meet local needs and may include healthcare coverage, mental well-being support, retirement savings, paid time off, family leaves, complimentary games, and more. We nurture environments where our teams can always bring their best to what they do.
Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will also consider employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. EA also makes workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law.