Daniel Saunders - Game Designer

Daniel Saunders

Hullo there! I’m Daniel Saunders and I’ve found myself in the fortunate position of being a full-time game designer; with a passion for discovering what makes games truly fun and engaging to play.


For five years I studied design, art and a teeny-tiny bit of programming for games in full-time education, eventually finding a passion for game design that has stuck with me since.


I’ve met many folks who have inspired my way of working, from industry newcomers to veterans alike. I’m keen to stay involved by attending games industry events and participating in educational talks and events.


When I’m not dedicating time to the playing and making of video games, I spend time keeping fit and healthy at the gym. As an avid fan of powerlifting and strongman, I’m inspired to stay strong and to take care of my health.


Alongside this, I also like to spend time with friends playing tabletop RPGs and board games, running fortnightly sessions.

EXPERIENCE

COMPANY

Frontier Developments


ROLE

Graduate Designer


TENURE

02/09/2019 – Present

My tenure at Frontier has been spent working alongside a talented team on future releases for Elite Dangerous.


As a designer, my role is primarily to design, implement and iterate upon content and systems that will be implemented into the game.


I find myself working independently or alongside others to help guide said content and systems from pre-production to release.

EDUCATION

INSTITUTE

Staffordshire University


COURSE

BSc (Hons)

Computer Games Design


DATE STUDIED

2016 – 2019

I studied a full three years at Staffordshire University, learning about multiple industry disciplines and in that time; I found my passion for game design.


I volunteered as a student representative for the University for two of the three years I studied there, giving student feedback to lecturers and helping to improve the overall student experience.


I graduated on the 11th of July 2019 with a First Class Honours degree.

INSTITUTE

Northbrook College


COURSE

UAL Extended Diploma in

Creative Media Production

and Technology


DATE STUDIED

2015 – 2016

I studied at Northbrook College for two years under two different qualification providers; the latter of which was the UAL Extended Diploma.


My time at Northbrook built a confidence that I took forward into Staffordshire University and still carry with me today. It opened my eyes to how I could make my way into industry, and the teaching staff there built the foundations for me to take that first giant step.

EXHIBITIONS

EXHIBITION

GradEx 2019


TYPE

Student (Solo)


LOCATION

Staffordshire University


DATE

2019

GradEx is an annual graduate showcase hosted by Staffordshire University. I took part in the Computer Games Design category.


Here I exhibited final year project, Under the Veil, to industry judges, industry visitors and public guests.

EXHIBITION

Game Republic

Student Showcase 2019


TYPE

Student (Solo)


LOCATION

University of Hull


DATE

2019

I volunteered and was chosen as one of six students to represent Staffordshire University at Game Republic’s annual student showcase.


Here I exhibited final year project, Under the Veil, to industry judges and public guests.