Senior Writer (Gaming)

KOTAKU, the leading gaming enthusiast site, is seeking a Senior Writer to join its editorial team. The right candidate will have experience covering the field—industry contacts, an understanding of how games are developed, insight into the major titles, and opinions on gaming’s most pressing issues. But above all else, this person will have voice, verve, and wit. We’re looking for a creative who is passionate about sharing their breadth of knowledge about pop culture more broadly—products, movies, series, gadgets, you name it. While you cover this category professionally, you also have opinion and ideas about “gaming-adjacent” pop culture coverage (film, music, talent, etc.).

As a senior writer, you’ll cover the latest news and trends, keeping in mind that our goal is to grow. How can we keep our core audience engaged, but also invite newbies into our fold? How do we cover the Maddens and the Marios, or the showstoppers that are still waiting to be discovered, while maintaining a sense of inclusivity? You’re capable of writing news and guides without breaking a sweat, but you’re also interested in inspiring conversations about the things our audience cares about (as evidenced by our analytics). You have a nose for what interest audiences, and you’re not a snob about it.

You’ll be expected to write daily (that means original reporting, not just aggregating news); you’ll also carve out opportunities to write longer form features.

As such, you know how to conduct interviews and find sources (both within companies and the gaming world).

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Pitch, report and write news and features
Immerse yourself in trending/popular games, gaming culture, and the related categories–whether that be on TikTok, Discord, or matchmaking lobbies
Work with editors to fill out packages for new releases, calendarized events, and big occasions
Represent Kotaku externally, at gaming events and demos

What we’re looking for:

An experienced (3+ years), voicey writer with a demonstrable passion for gaming
Ability to generate original ideas for creative, engaging, and splashy content
Someone who is deadline oriented, can work independently, and is collaborative. While we do a lot of communicating virtually, we expect you to show up (in person or with your Zoom camera on) for face-to-face meetings. Journalism is a team sport here
Has knowledge and familiarity with online publishing tools
Being able to make a quick Photoshop or cut together a little video is a plus

This is a position covered under the collective bargaining agreement with the WGA-E at a minimum of $80,000.00 with a range of up to $90,000.00 annually, dependent upon years of related experience.