Director, Player Experience Research

Job Overview

Our client, a global leader in interactive entertainment, is searching for a Director of Player Experience (PX) Research to lead and shape the future direction of player insights across a broad, international portfolio of products.

This pivotal role integrates research strategy, understanding player behavior, and driving impactful business decisions. The Director will oversee the PX Research vision, ensuring that player insights influence decisions throughout the entire product lifecycle—from pre-production and early validations to live service management and long-term ecosystem growth.

This leader will establish and manage a high-performing research team, collaborate closely with central Insights groups (including Consumer Insights, Data & Analytics, Experience Quality, and Fan Care), and provide guidance on key priorities like new player acquisition, Generation Alpha, mobile strategies, and expanding into global markets.

The position demands a visionary leader who thrives in scaling operations, navigating ambiguity, and redefining research methodologies across a large organization.

Location: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada (Onsite)

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement a comprehensive global PX Research strategy that influences gameplay across different platforms, ecosystems, and franchises.
• Ensure research outcomes have measurable effects on product planning, portfolio management, and player satisfaction.
• Convert audience market insights (TAM, SAM, SOM) into actionable and validated player segments accessible to development teams early in the process, even before software development.
• Lead and mentor senior research managers and individual contributors across multiple regions and studios.
• Cultivate a workplace culture that encourages curiosity, rapid innovation, and constructive feedback, empowering researchers to shape product development.
• Balance independence and cohesion by setting uniform standards, frameworks, and expectations across teams.
• Enhance PX research techniques, combining qualitative, quantitative, telemetry, and sentiment analysis methods.
• Drive the adoption of experimental methods, AI-powered tools, and integrated platforms to expedite insight generation.
• Manage external research partners and vendors, including strategizing for emerging markets.
• Develop research frameworks supporting specific initiatives including new player acquisition, early-stage playtesting, understanding Gen Alpha behaviors, integrating player sentiment with PX and Data units, sports research within rapid (~4 month) development cycles, mobile PX strategies related to high-definition franchises, cloud services, subscriptions, ecosystems, esports, and APAC-specific research approaches.
• Collaborate extensively with Consumer Insights, Data & Analytics, Experience Quality, and Fan Care teams to deliver cohesive and comprehensive player insights.
• Craft executive-level reports and narratives linking player understanding with business goals and portfolio results.
• Facilitate organizational change by clarifying priorities, sequencing initiatives, and maintaining momentum during transformation.

Qualifications

• A degree in Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, Market Research, Social Sciences, Data Science, or equivalent professional experience.
• 10 to 12+ years of experience in player research, UX research, or consumer insights, preferably within gaming or digital entertainment sectors.
• More than 5 years of leadership experience managing multidisciplinary research teams at scale.
• Proficiency in varied research methodologies including mixed-methods approaches.
• Proven ability to influence senior product and business executives.
• Experience thriving in large, matrixed global organizations.
• Comfort with transitioning between detailed hands-on product research and overarching portfolio leadership roles.
• A strong personal connection to players and dedication to the craft of research.

Additional Information

Affinity Group offers a referral program where individuals can earn up to $4,000 annually for successful candidate referrals and up to $50,000 for securing new clients.

Affinity Group is a technology and business consulting company committed to long-term partnerships, diversity, and inclusivity. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.