LYDIA COCKERHAM

Narrative Designer & Writer

Dedicated, passionate, decisive, with 5+ years' experience – in bold, impactful narratives that reflect why players play.

Dead Island 2 (AAA)

Senior Narrative Designer

Pulpy quest design & unique voices

Avakin Life (Mobile)

Narrative Designer

Engrossing arcs & snappy dialogue

About

Bio, interviews & speaking events

Contact

Open to new opportunities


Portfolio


Dead Island 2 (AAA)

Senior Narrative Designer

Pulpy quest design & unique voices

Avakin Life (Mobile)

Narrative Designer

Engrossing arcs & snappy dialogue


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


Contact


CV / Resume & writing samples available upon request.


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