Job Summary:
We are looking for a skilled Senior Spine2D Animator to create high-quality 2.5D animations & VFX for slot/casino games, while also leading and guiding the animation team. This role focuses on bringing static game art to life using Spine2D through smooth, polished, and performance-optimized animations that enhance gameplay experience.
In addition to hands-on animation, the Senior Animator will be responsible for mentoring and guiding the team, reviewing work, and planning and managing the animation pipeline to ensure timely and high-quality deliveries. You will work closely with Concept Artists, Game Artists, and Developers to align animation & VFX execution with both creative vision and technical requirements.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Concept Development & Final Animation Production
- Lead the creation of high-quality 2D and 2.5D animations using Spine2D for slot/casino games.
- Design and execute complex feature, win, transition, and loop animations.
- Animate slot-game assets including symbols, Wilds, Scatters, reels, UI elements, and special features.
- Create parallax-style 2.5D motion using layered artwork.
- Work with layered PSD files prepared for Spine workflows.
- Ensure animations align with gameplay feel, UX timing, and visual consistency.
2. Leadership & Mentorship
- Lead, mentor, and guide Junior Animator and Junior Animators.
- Provide constructive feedback and hands-on support to improve animation quality.
- Foster a collaborative and growth-oriented team environment.
- Support skill development and best-practice adoption within the team.
3. Cross-Department Collaboration
- Collaborate closely with Art Directors, Concept Artists, Game Artists, VFX Artists, and Developers.
- Ensure animations meet both creative vision and technical requirements.
- Work with development teams to ensure smooth engine integration.
4. Review & Quality Control
- Review, refine, and approve animation assets before final delivery.
- Maintain high visual and technical quality standards across all animations.
- Ensure consistency in animation style, execution, and polish.
- Identify and resolve quality issues proactively.
5. Production Management & Delivery
- Define and manage animation pipelines, workflows, and best practices.
- Plan and organize animation tasks to meet project timelines and milestones.
- Optimize animations for performance, memory usage, and runtime efficiency.
- Ensure timely and high-quality delivery of animation assets.
6. Communication
- Ensure timely and high-quality delivery of animation assets.
- Act as the primary point of contact for animation-related discussions.
- Provide regular updates on animation progress, risks, and dependencies.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or diploma in Animation, Fine Arts, Game Design, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
- 10+ years of professional experience in 2D / 2.5D game animation & VFX, with a strong focus on Spine2D.
- Expert-level proficiency in Spine2D, including rigging, skinning, bones, meshes, constraints, and animation states.
- Strong understanding of animation principles, timing, easing, secondary motion, and visual polish.
- Demonstrated experience in leading, mentoring, and guiding animation teams.
- Hands-on experience collaborating with Art and Development teams.
- Solid understanding of game pipelines, engine integration (Unity or similar), and performance optimization.
- Ability to plan and manage animation workflows to meet production timelines and quality standards.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to provide clear direction and constructive feedback.
Required Skills & Experience:
Animation & Technical Skills
- 10+ years of industry experience in game animation, VFX, or real-time interactive entertainment.
- Expert-level proficiency in Spine2D for 2D and 2.5D animation, including rigging, skinning, bones, meshes, and constraints.
- Strong understanding of animation principles, timing, easing, secondary motion, and visual polish.
- Hands-on experience creating high-quality animations and VFX for slot/casino games or similar real-time game environments.
- Ability to create and integrate parallax-based 2.5D motion using layered artwork.
- Experience optimizing animations and VFX for performance, memory usage, and runtime efficiency.
- Familiarity with game engines (PIXIJS, HTML5, Unity or similar) and asset integration workflows.
- Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as Spine2D, After Effects, Photoshop, and related animation/VFX software.
Leadership & Communication
- Proven experience leading, mentoring, and guiding animation and/or VFX teams.
- Ability to provide clear, structured, and actionable feedback to improve quality and consistency.
- Experience defining animation/VFX pipelines, standards, and best practices.
- Strong communication skills for effective cross-functional collaboration.
- Ability to work closely with Art Direction, Game Design, Development, and Technical teams to align creative vision with technical constraints.
Soft Skills
- Strong ownership mindset
- Attention to detail
- Ability to meet deadlines and adapt to shifting priorities
- Team-first mentality and creative problem solving
Bonus Skills (Good to Have)
- Experience in slot game animation or casual/mobile game animation.
- Knowledge of PIXIJS/HTML5 animation integration pipelines.
- Understanding of motion graphics for popups and win animations.
- Experience leading small teams or specialized pods.
- Experience leading small teams or specialized pods.
Success Metrics (First 12 Months)
- Delivery of consistent, high-quality animation & VFX across all assigned projects, validated by client satisfaction and internal reviews.
- Clear improvements in animation & VFX workflow efficiency and quality assurance processes.
- Positive team engagement scores, reflecting improved clarity, feedback, and motivation.
- Delivered high-quality pitch and animation decks that strengthened client engagement and contributed to new project opportunities.
- Establishment of PIXIJS/HTML5-driven prototyping workflows and animation enhancements to improve visual fidelity.
Why This Role Matters
The Senior Animator & VFX Artist plays a critical role in defining the visual energy, motion quality, and overall player experience of our slot games. This role is central to transforming static art into engaging, dynamic animations and visual effects that enhance gameplay, reinforce themes, and elevate the emotional impact of the product.
By working closely with the Art Director, Concept Artists, Game Artists, and Development teams, this role ensures that animations and VFX are not only visually compelling but also technically optimized and seamlessly integrated into the game pipeline. Strong leadership at this level helps maintain consistency in animation quality, timing, and performance across all game features.
Beyond hands-on production, the Senior Animator & VFX Artist supports the growth and efficiency of the animation team by mentoring artists, defining animation pipelines, and establishing best practices. High-quality animation direction at this stage reduces rework, minimizes technical risks, and accelerates production timelines making this role essential for delivering polished, high-performing games while scaling the team sustainably.
