LYDIA COCKERHAM
Narrative Designer & Writer
Dedicated, passionate, decisive, with 5+ years' experience – in bold, impactful narratives that reflect why players play.
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Bio, interviews & speaking events
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Open to new opportunities
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Dead Island 2
Senior Narrative Designer
Dambuster Studios
(Autumn 2020 - Present)
Long-awaited AAA action RPG, sequel to the cult classic
Narrative Designer – then Senior Narrative Designer – on Dead Island 2, pulpy AAA action RPG.Fleshing out our epic zombie adventure meant injecting life into a horde of eccentric characters, piecing together exciting and lore-expanding quests, drenching the world of Hell-A with a layer of characterful gore... and most importantly, making our players feel like badass zombie slayers.I am currently narrative owner of upcoming DLC "SOLA Festival", leading development on the full narrative vision including theme, tone, setting, characters and story beats.
Pulpy, vivid narrative design for quests; unifying gameplay, environmental storytelling, VO and text through compelling stories
Developed a unique voice for player character Carla - including backstory and motivation - and wrote all her cinematics, conversations, VO, barks, etc
Conceptualised and wrote text journals to guide players and develop worldbuilding/lore
Wrote clear yet punchy text for major tutorials, skill descriptions & UI menus
Directed voice talent in the booth and assisted in casting
Mentored junior teammates in narrative design; gave constructive feedback on and edited the work of others
Created and maintained key documentation used throughout the studio, including LocKit, player-facing terms glossary and character "cheat sheets"
Represented the game and studio during press interviews, and at Gamescom '22
"From the moment she joined, Lydia was dedicated, meticulous, and determined to improve her own skillset and understanding of game dev."
— Khan, previously Lead Narrative Designer at Dambuster Studios
Avakin Life
Narrative Designer
Lockwood Publishing
(Spring 2018 - Autumn 2020)
Metaverse mobile game played by millions across the globe
Narrative Designer on Avakin Life, 3D virtual world popular in the USA, Russia, Indonesia & Brazil.As the only full-time writer on the team, it was my job to bring our world to life through the everyday experiences of our players.
Narrative design for twice monthly LiveOps events (7+ million players each month)
Developed exciting narrative arcs that spanned months and created characters to appeal to our players, including bold and unapologetic fan-favourite Nadia Fox
Wrote snappy, flavourful dialogue
Playtested, gave feedback to ensure consistency and maintained documentation
Crafted Style Guides & Tone of Voice documents used across the brand
Worked with partners to localise text across dozens of diverse regions worldwide
Wrote copy across many other areas: tutorial text, UI text, promo copy, patch notes, press releases, website text, app store copy, etc
"A consistent powerhouse of high-quality work, and one of the kindest, most personable and helpful individuals I've ever had the pleasure of working with."
— Gary Alexander Stott, previously Producer at Lockwood Publishing
About
Dedicated, passionate, decisive Narrative Designer & Writer, based in London, with over 5 years' experience writing and designing for games.I am currently Senior Narrative Designer at Dambuster Studios working on Dead Island 2.My focus is on turning collaborative, clear, cohesive work into powerful narratives that weave together all disciplines in game dev to reflect why players play. I've worked on games across PC, console and mobile – from AAA to indie.I've been crafting meaningful stories in games since 2018. Before then I worked in copywriting, scriptwriting and games journalism.I'm also a Video Games Ambassador (with Into Games/Ukie) and a Women in Games ambassador. I'm passionate about empowering others and helping to create a more welcoming, supportive games industry.
Interviews
Speaking Events
Creative UK — Breaking Into Creative Careers
The University of Nottingham
Articles
Stories Made to be Played: Why Games Are Best When They Accept They're Games — Published in SUPERJUMP
Contact
CV / Resume & writing samples available upon request.
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