High Moon

I'd like to meet:

It very well could be you!
If you share our passion for video games, get to know us. If you work in games or are pursuing it as a career, take a deeper look at who we are. We just might be that inspired game company you’ve been looking for, a workplace that nurtures creativity and one as focused on quality of life as quality of work.
We are hiring right now!
You can jump to our job list directly below, or scroll down to check out our great benefits package and find out everything you need to know about our studio.

Job List
For a current list of job openings please visit our website at: www.highmoonstudios.com/careers
To learn more about High Moon Studios and future opportunities, please contact the Human Resources department at [email protected] .

Focus Groups
High Moon is looking for people to participate in Focus Groups!
High Moon is looking for focus group testers to play unreleased games. Whether you are a hardcore gamer or someone who likes to pick up a game now and then, we want your input on our upcoming video game titles. We are looking for on-site focus testers and electronic survey participants. All participants must be 13 years of age or older. Participants under the age of 18 will be asked to provide a signed parent/guardian consent form. Those selected for on-site focus testing will be paid an hourly rate upon completion of their testing session. Electronic survey participants will be eligible for prizes.
To apply please visit: focusgroup.highmoonstudios.com

Company Background
High Moon Studios
High Moon Studios, part of Vivendi Games, is an award-winning game developer currently working on titles for next-generation consoles. The company employs more than 150 developers at an eye-popping 50,000 square foot game development facility based in Carlsbad, a seaside city in San Diego County, California.
Who we are
We are video game makers who share a passion for the medium and a commitment to innovating within it. As one of Vivendi Games’ leading console studios, we are poised to make the next big hits for the next-generation. Our studio is expanding, and so we look to grow with a new generation of hit makers.
Our studio
We operate out of a state-of-the-art studio with the latest in game development technology. It is a stunning workspace that combines form and function, one created specifically for game development with input from our own creative staff. Our facilities are exceptionally equipped with resources for in-house motion-capture, audio mixing & Foley, and cinematics.
Our culture
We have an exceptional workplace, winning awards for our employee programs, our use of an innovative development technique, and even our studio architecture. Our approach to development fosters communication and collaboration, establishing a culture of camaraderie and mentorship among our staff. We understand quality of work demands quality of life, and our staff takes full advantage of the lifestyle afforded them in sunny San Diego.
Our methodology
We utilize a product development technique called Scrum, a process derived from agile methodology. Scrum is named after the tight line of scrimmage formation in rugby where players huddle to move the ball up the field. In product development, the formation is applied in spirit using small non-hierarchal interdisciplinary teams who complete vertical slices of a project in brief work cycles called sprints. At High Moon, artists, designers and engineers work side by side and focus on demonstrable iterations meant to 'find the fun' in their games early in the development cycle. The collaborative and iterative approach allows developers at all levels to have meaningful input and consistently evaluate product features and quality.
Art
High Moon is recognized in the industry as an art-inspired studio. Our staff boasts some of the best art talent in video games, with award-winning and published artists among our ranks. We understand technology commands the bandwidth for game content, and therefore we equip our artists and animators with the tools necessary to make no compromises in our game art quality.
Technology
For development, we combine proprietary tools with licensed technology from best-in-class partners and providers. Our programmers are recognized as leaders in their field, pioneering innovative engineering practices in game development, such as agile methodology and extreme programming.
Design
We believe games are only scratching the surface of human creativity, and we are looking to push those boundaries through game design. Among our designers are people responsible for some of the most successful games ever made. Yet our development technique allows for meaningful input from designers at every level, establishing a foundation for our future stars –our writers, directors and technical designers.
Our awards
In addition to numerous art and development awards, High Moon has received award recognition as a company for our innovative development methods and employee programs. These include back-to-back 2005-2006 "Workplace Excellence" awards from San Diego Society for HR Management, as well as a place among "Top 50 Technology Innovators" in IT Week magazine. For a full list of our studio and staff’s awards, visit our award page .

About Scrum
Scrum is an agile approach to game development, where small interdisciplinary teams work on demonstrable iterations of their project. Scrum aims to boost productivity through daily communication and greater project ownership, and it can elevate product quality by letting teams evaluate games and their feature sets very early into development.
For more information on scrum and agile game development please visit the following sites:

www.agilegamedevelopment.com www.gamesfromwithin.com High Moon Studios: A Portrait - Scrum

About Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy
Robert Ludlum's best-selling spy novels and blockbuster film adaptations have thrilled millions. Now become Ludlum's most famous spy Jason Bourne, going deeper than ever into his world of espionage and conspiracy. A signature Jason Bourne video game experience is born in an original title fusing the viscous tension and depth of the novels with the aggressive style and frenetic action of the films. The game is coming to PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Microsoft's Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system in June 2008.
For more information "Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy," please visit www.bournethegame.com .

About Darkwatch
"Darkwatch" is the debut title from High Moon Studios. A first-person shooter (FPS) with an original premise that blends Vampire-Horror and Western genres, "Darkwatch" frames frenetically-paced FPS action and great game play variety with a cinematic game experience. The game delivers such innovations as supernatural vampire abilities for the main character that translate into enormously fun game mechanics, as well as a dynamic reputation system where the choices the player makes lead to a different game experience. "Darkwatch" was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox video game system from Microsoft.
For more information on "Darkwatch," please visit www.darkwatch.com .

Employee Benefits
With our passion for creating compelling entertainment for audiences worldwide, we are driven to provide our employees with strong resources and tools to develop innovative video games. To support our dedicated employees, we offer outstanding benefits plans and programs that allow for enjoyment of life and flexibility of coverage. Our policies and practices have earned us a 2005 Workplace Award from the San Diego chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management.
Health and Dependent Care Benefits

Three Medical Plans (PPO, PCP, HMO) Two Dental Plans (PPO, DHMO) Vision Plan (PPO) Flexible Spending Accounts for Reimbursement of Health Care and Dependent Care Medical, Dental and Vision Coverage for Domestic Partners Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Life and Disability Benefits

Basic Life and AD&D Insurance Voluntary Supplemental Life Insurance Voluntary AD&D Insurance Short Term Disability Long Term Disability

Paid Time-Off

Vacation and Sick Day Accrual 9 Paid Holidays Per Year 2 Floating Holidays Per Year

Additional Benefits

Matching 401K Plan Education Reimbursement for Bachelor and Masters Degrees Corporate Gym Membership to Pure Fitness, Located Next Door Lunch Provided Onsite Every Day Yoga Classes and Masseuse 60,000 Square Foot State of the Art Facility in Carlsbad Flexible Work Environment Strong and Supportive Management Close-knit Culture Employee Referral Program Regular Company-sponsored Events Location: Proximity to Beaches, Mountains, Deserts and Resorts

Music:

Bourne Music:
Paul Oakenfold , Cee-Lo Green , John Powell
Check out the The Bourne Conspiracy's music video for the single "Falling," produced and performed by Oakenfold and featuring Atlantic recording artist Cee-Lo Green at
Yahoo! Music

Darkwatch Music:
Mike Reagan Music , Asdru Sierra , Ozomatli
Entire DW Soundtrack now available on iTunes!
How do I find it? Just browse iTunes for the following: iTunes Store: Music Genre: Sound track Subgenre: All Artist: Mike Reagan (or Asdru Sierra) Album: Dark Watch - Original Game Music ScoreThere are 30 different tracks available for download! 99 cents each or you can download the album for $11.99!
You can also download a few FREE tracks from the High Moon Studios site!

Movies:

The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Supremacy
The Bourne Ultimatum

Books:

Work developed by High Moon Studios has been published in the following books:

Aug 2005
The Art of Darkwatch
This book showcases the concept art that went into creating Darkwatch. It will demonstrate the process and development of the concepts, as well as the evolution of the intellectual property itself. Steal a glimpse into the true talent, perseverance, and collaborative spirit of the concept artists that contributed to developing Darkwatch. Order your book now or view the inside of the book!
Dec 2005
Video Game Art – By Nic Kelman
Video Game Art is a first look from an art history and post-modern cultural perspective at the influences behind, and achievements of today's genre-defining video games. Includes commentary from luminaries of the field and often unpublished behind-the-scene art of both past and upcoming games.
Published:
Features over 25 pieces of artwork from Darkwatch
Visit Website
2004, 2005, 2006
Spectrum Fantastic Art
Believing that there was a tremendous amount of high-quality fantastic-themed art work created each year that some how wasn’t being represented in other annual art books and shows, Spectrum was established in 1993 with the intent of providing creators with a regular showcase for the best fantasy, science fiction, horror, and otherwise uncategorizable artwork created each year.
Published in Spectrum 13
"Sunlight" by Francis Tsai
Published in Spectrum 12
"Ground Zero" by Francis Tsai (Art Director: Farzad Varahramyan)
Published in Spectrum 11
"Nightmare" by Farzad Varahramyan
"High Moon" by Francis Tsai (Art Director: Chris Ulm)
"High Moon Town" by Brainzoo Studios (Art Director: Farzad Varahramyan)
2005, 2006
EXPOSÉ
Every year, Ballistic Publishing brings together the world's leading digital artists to create EXPOSÉ , a compilation of the finest digital art in the known universe. Consisting of international artwork covering the field of 3D, digital illustration, industrial design, architectural visualization, games, television, feature film and more.
Published in EXPOSÉ 4:
"Horse Action" by Francis Tsai
"Reaper" by Dave Wilkins
Published in EXPOSÉ 3:
"Hell’s Canyon" by Mongsub Song (Art Director: Farzad Varahramyan)
2005, 2006
Aphrodisia
Aphrodisia is a book showcasing the art of the female form. Any professional artist, artist representative, art student, art director or publisher may enter the competition for a place in the book.
Published in Aphrodisia II:
"Alexandria" by Dave Wilkins
"Trixie" by Francis Tsai
Published in Aphrodisia:
"McKenzie" by Farzad Varahramyan
"Sexy Tala" by Francis Tsai
"Cassidy: Ghost" by Steve Jung
"Cassidy: Boss" by Steve Jung
2005
Illustration West 44
Published:
"Citadel (Day)" by Mongsub Song (Art Director: Farzad Varahramyan)
Awards:
Visual Development Category: Silver Award - "High Moon" by Francis Tsai (Art Director: Chris Ulm)
Illustration West
2005
Exotique
EXOTIQUE is the most extensive showcase of high quality digital character artwork to ever be published.
Published:
"Tala & Cassidy" by Yves Couturier, Isabelle Chen, Hyon "Mario" Kim, Sergio Paez, Aaron Habibipour, Mauricio Hoffman
"Tala: Boss" by Steve Jung
"Cassidy Sharp: Boss" by Steve Jung
"Tala" by Steve Jung
"Cassidy Sharp" by Steve Jung
"Tala: Vampire" by Steve Jung
"Jericho Cross" by Farzad Varahramyan
*All art directed by Farzad Varahramyan
Visit Website
2005
d’Artiste: Character Modeling
d'artiste: Character Modeling is the definitive 3D character tutorial book showcasing the astonishing work and technical skills of leading artists.
Published:
"Cassidy Sharp" by High Moon Studios
"Tala" by High Moon Studios
"Tala & Cassidy" by High Moon Studios
"Jericho Cross" by High Moon Studios
*All art directed by Farzad Varahramyan
Visit Website

Heroes:

Here at High Moon our heroes are our employees... check out some of the amazing awards we've won!
2005, 2006, 2007
Telly Awards
The Telly Awards honor outstanding local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions.
28th Annual (2007):
Bronze in Non-Broadcast Productions, Recruitment for GDC Video
Bronze in Internet/Online Programs, Recruitment for GDC Video
Bronze in Internet/Online Programs, Use of Humor for GDC Video
27th Annual (2006):
Silver in Sound/Sound Design for the Darkwatch Prologue
Silver in Copywriting for the Darkwatch Prologue
Bronze in Use of Music for the Darkwatch Prologue
26th Annual (2005):
Bronze in Film/Video Category for the Darkwatch CG Trailer
2007
The Communicator Awards
The Communicator Awards is the leading international awards program recognizing creative excellence in the communication field. Founded by communication professionals over a decade ago, The Communicator Awards holds annual competitions for AUDIO in October, VIDEO in November, and PRINT MEDIA in February. Entries and winners have come from all 50 states and numerous foreign countries.
13th Annual (2007) Print Media:
Award of Distinction, Brochure/Recruitment for 2007 Studio Kit
Award of Distinction, Brochure/Company Overview for 2007 Studio Kit
Award of Distinction, Brochure/Overall Design for 2007 Studio Kit
Award of Distinction, Brochure/Recruitment for 2006 Studio Kit
2005, 2006
San Diego Society for HR Management Workplace Excellence Awards
The Workplace Excellence Event was created as an opportunity to educate and enlighten San Diego business leaders on the value and contribution that exceptional HR practices can make to the success and profitability of an organization. High Moon was among more than 140 companies vying for the sixth annual SDSHRM awards, with this year marking the company's first award after three consecutive nominations. Companies are nominated by their own staff through testimonials submitted to SDSHRM, and ultimately judged on HR programs, organizational performance and employee satisfaction.
Awards:
2005 Crystal Award for Small Company Category
2006 Workplace Excellence Medallion
Visit Website
2005, 2006
Two years running as IT Week Magazine's "Top 50 Technology Innovators" in 2005 and 2006
Chosen by IT Week editors, the list recognizes companies that have made significant contributions to technological innovation over the past year. High Moon is the only video game company named among 2005 & 2006 winners, lauded for its adoption of Agile Methodology, and specifically the Scrum method, for production of video game titles for next-generation consoles.
Visit Website
2006
Digital Video Awards
The DV Awards is a new and exciting international competition celebrating outstanding creative and technical achievements in the emerging world of digital video production.
2006 DV Awards:
Sales & Promotions - Darkwatch Trailer
Art Direction - Darkwatch Prologue
Sound Design - Darkwatch Prologue
Recruitment - HMS: A Portrait
2005, 2006
Aurora Awards
The Aurora Awards are an independent film and video competition for commercials, cable programming, documentaries, industrial, instructional and corporate videos.
2006 Aurora Awards:
(All 2006 awards are for the Darkwatch Prologue)
Platinum Best of Show for Art Direction
Platinum Best of Show for Audio Design
Platinum Best of Show for Music
Platinum Best of Show for Special Effects/Animation
Platinum Best of Show for Entertainment/Amusement
Gold Award for Writing
Gold Award for Directing
Gold Award for Editing
2005 Aurora Nominations:
Best Video Game Trailer - Darkwatch
2006
Summit International Awards
The Summit Awards organization administers rigorous awards competitions throughout the year with the goal of recognizing companies and individuals that go beyond the expected.
2006 Summit Awards:
Gold Award - Art Direction/Graphic Design for Darkwatch
Gold Award - Illustration for Darkwatch: Ride to Vengeance
Silver Award - Consumer Product Website for Darkwatch.com
Silver Award - Games/Games Related Website for Darkwatch.com
Silver Award - Consumer Image Website for Highmoonstudios.com
2006
Art of Digital Show The Art of Digital Show is a world-class international exhibition featuring all forms of digital art -- It is the combining of fine art images in the gallery along with video art. Flat-screen displays in the gallery will be continuously exhibiting the video art pieces.
2006 Art of Digital Award
Honorable Mention - Darkwatch Prologue

March 2006
2006 ADDY Awards
With over 60,000 entries annually, the ADDY Awards are the world's largest and arguably toughest advertising competition.
Award:
HighMoonStudios.com: Silver Award
Visit Website
2005
2005 International Davey Awards
The annual International Davey Awards are conducted by the International Academy of Visual Arts to honor the achievements of the "Creative Davids" who derive their strength from big ideas, rather than stratospheric budgets.
Awards:
Graphics: Gold Award
Special Effects: Gold Award
Animation: Silver Award
Art Direction: Silver Award
Public Relations Video: Silver Award
(All awards are for the Darkwatch Cinematic Trailer)
Visit Website
2005
2005 Digital Entertainment and Media Excellence Awards (DEMX)
Entertainment is constantly evolving. It is tied to no particular platform, format or place in time, but shaped by the visionaries, innovators, entrepreneurs and brand developers who embrace technology, look to the future and inspire creativity. As a result, new ideas and art forms are brought to life. The Digital Entertainment & Media Awards honor this vision, along with innovation, entrepreneurship and brand development in digital entertainment.
Nominations:
Darkwatch was nominated for Best Use of Sound in a Game
Visit Website
2005
6th Annual Golden Trailer Awards
The Golden Trailer Awards have previously honored excellence in the art of trailers for feature film, television and animation. This year, for the first time, they will extend awards to honor the best in video game trailers.
Nominations:
Darkwatch CG Trailer
2005
EXPOSÉ 3 AWARDS
The EXPOSÉ 3 AWARD recipients demonstrated the outstanding fusion of artistic and technical excellence that the explosion of digital tools opens up to the modern artist.
Awards:
Creature in Repose 2D: Excellence Award - "Uncloaked Nightmare" by Farzad Varahramyan
Visit Website
2004
Into the Pixel (2004)
Into the Pixel Art Exhibition (ITP) is an exploration and celebration of the art of the video game, curated by interactive entertainment industry veterans and experts from the art establishment.
Featured:
"High Moon" by Umberto Bossi, Chris Hung, Daniel Herrera, Farzad Varahramyan, Francis Co, Francis Tsai, Hyon 'Mario' Kim, Ivan Power, J.R. Salazar, Marc Mackin & Mohammed Davoudian
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