How to Get Hired at Lighthouse Games
What Lighthouse Games looks for in artists for their AAA open-world title, how the hiring process works at this new Forza-pedigree studio, salary ranges, and how to build a portfolio that fits their vision.
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Art Style by Title
Lighthouse Games has not publicly revealed their title, but the Forza Horizon and Forza Motorsport pedigree of the founding team strongly signals the visual direction: large-scale open-world environments, material fidelity, and realistic lighting.
Open-World Environments
AAA Environment ArtThe Forza Horizon series set a high bar for open-world environment fidelity, particularly in vegetation density, road surface materials, and ambient environmental detail. Artists from those games are bringing that standard to Lighthouse’s unannounced project.
- High-density vegetation and ground cover systems
- Physically accurate road and terrain surface materials
- Biome-spanning environment sets with consistent visual language
- Environment that reads at both ground level and aerial views
Material Art
PBR MaterialsLighthouse has specifically hired for material art roles, suggesting a material-first approach to environment fidelity. Procedural material creation with high reuse value across environment types is a likely focus area for the team.
- Photorealistic PBR materials for ground, rock, vegetation surfaces
- Procedural material workflows (Substance Designer emphasis)
- Material libraries designed for reuse across multiple environment types
- Material performance optimization for open-world scale
Vehicle and Technical Art
High-Fidelity AssetsGiven the studio’s background, vehicle art and technical art fluency in rendering complex reflective surfaces and high-polygon asset optimization is likely relevant even if the game is not exclusively about vehicles.
- High-fidelity reflective and painted surface materials
- Complex LOD systems for high-polygon hero assets
- Technical art pipelines for large-scale scene population
- Runtime performance optimization at open-world scale
Lighting and Atmosphere
Real-Time LightingForza Horizon games are visually celebrated for their dynamic sky, weather, and lighting systems. Artists with experience building lighting rigs and mood-driven sky systems for open-world games will find that background highly relevant at Lighthouse.
- Dynamic sky and weather systems experience
- HDR real-time lighting for large outdoor environments
- Time-of-day lighting design and colour grading experience
- Unreal Engine 5 lighting pipeline familiarity
The Hiring Process
As a newer studio, Lighthouse Games’ process is less codified than established studios. Expect direct access to senior team members early in the process.
Portfolio Review
At a studio this size and stage, your portfolio is likely reviewed by an art director or studio co-founder directly rather than a large HR team. Show environment work at AAA quality and, where possible, work that demonstrates open-world scale thinking — large scenes, biome-spanning environment sets, or modular environment systems.
Typical duration: 2-4 weeksIntroductory Call
A direct conversation with a senior team member or recruiter. At a smaller studio, this may double as both a culture and technical screen. Ask about the project direction — Lighthouse has not announced their title but the team will discuss the type of game they are making and the art direction they are pursuing.
Typical duration: 30-45 minutesArt Lead or Director Interview
A deeper portfolio walkthrough and technical conversation. Expect questions about your workflow, how you work in Unreal Engine 5, and how you approach large-scale environment or material challenges. Demonstrating knowledge of the Forza Horizon visual language — even without naming it directly — signals cultural alignment.
Typical duration: 60-90 minutesArt Test
For most mid to senior roles, expect a brief targeting the type of content the studio is building. Delivering clean, well-documented work that shows your pipeline process alongside the finished asset is as important as the visual quality for a studio that is still building its internal standards.
Typical duration: 1-2 weeksOffer
Lighthouse moves efficiently once a candidate clears the art test. As a growing studio, there is genuine room for salary negotiation, particularly for senior and principal roles. The Leamington Spa location salary band differs from London rates — confirm whether the role has a London weighting or remote option.
Typical duration: 1-2 weeksSalary Ranges
| Role | Level | Salary | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environment Artist | Mid-level | GBP 40,000 – 55,000 | Leamington Spa, UK |
| Environment Artist | Senior | GBP 55,000 – 70,000 | Leamington Spa, UK |
| Material Artist | Mid-level | GBP 40,000 – 55,000 | Leamington Spa, UK |
| Material Artist | Senior / Principal | GBP 60,000 – 85,000 | Leamington Spa, UK |
| Technical Artist | Mid-level | GBP 45,000 – 60,000 | Leamington Spa, UK |
| Technical Artist | Senior | GBP 60,000 – 80,000 | Leamington Spa, UK |
| Art Director | Director | GBP 80,000 – 110,000 | Leamington Spa, UK |
Salary ranges based on published Lighthouse Games job posting data and UK Midlands game industry benchmarks. Leamington Spa (Midlands) rates run slightly lower than London but lower cost of living partially offsets this. UK income tax and National Insurance apply.
Portfolio Tips by Discipline
Environment Artists
- Open-world environment work is the most directly relevant portfolio content
- Show biome variety — demonstrate you can build both dense forest and open terrain convincingly
- Modular set design with real in-engine shots, not just isolated hero assets
- Unreal Engine 5 Nanite and Lumen experience is a strong advantage
Material Artists
- Substance Designer workflow is close to a requirement for dedicated material art roles
- Show material libraries with clear reuse potential — one rock shader that tiles across 5 environments reads better than 5 unique rock assets
- Ground, rock, and vegetation surface materials are the most relevant categories
- Performance-conscious material design alongside visual quality
Technical Artists
- Unreal Engine 5 technical pipeline experience is directly relevant
- Procedural content generation (PCG) in UE5 is an emerging requirement for open-world studios
- Tool development experience for environment population or material authoring
- Performance optimization at scene scale, not just asset level
All Disciplines
- Research Forza Horizon’s visual language thoroughly — this is the team’s shared reference point even if unstated
- Show work at the quality bar of current-generation open-world titles
- Early-stage studios value artists who can build and document standards, not just follow them
- Genuine enthusiasm for open-world game development reads strongly in interviews at smaller studios
Early-Stage Studio Reality
Lighthouse Games is a pre-release studio with no shipped title under this name. While the founding team’s track record is strong, joining a studio before they have shipped carries inherent risk — projects can be cancelled, funded rounds can change, and production direction can shift significantly. This risk is balanced by the opportunity to have real influence on the visual direction of an AAA game and to work directly with a senior leadership team with a proven track record. Weigh this carefully if stability is your primary career priority.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a job at Lighthouse Games?
Apply through Lighthouse Games’ careers page at lighthouse.games/careers. The studio is in Leamington Spa, UK. The process includes portfolio review, an introductory call, an art lead interview, and an art test for most roles. Lighthouse has been actively building their team and is open to senior applicants.
What game is Lighthouse Games making?
An unannounced AAA open-world title. The studio was founded by veterans of the Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon series, suggesting a focus on open-world exploration and environment fidelity. The title has not been officially announced.
What salary does Lighthouse Games pay?
Based on published job posting data, Lighthouse pays approximately GBP 40,000-85,000 depending on seniority. Senior and principal material artists and technical artists sit at the higher end of this range. Leamington Spa has lower living costs than London, which affects market rate expectations.
Who founded Lighthouse Games?
Lighthouse was founded by developers from Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games, the studios behind the Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon franchises. The studio launched in Leamington Spa and has been building its team since founding.
Is Lighthouse Games a good studio to work at?
Lighthouse offers genuine early-stage influence and direct access to experienced AAA leadership. The risk is that any pre-release studio carries production uncertainty. The founders’ Forza Horizon track record is a strong positive indicator. Balance the opportunity against the inherent risk of joining before a title ships.
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