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Card Game Design Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Cat Daddy

Game Designer

Kirkland, WA

$78.90K - $116.76K/yr

Who We Think Will be an Excellent Fit: * 5+ years of game design experience, with a focus on free-to-play mobile games. Experience designing card-collecting, card-battling, and/or deck-building games ...

Cat Daddy

Game Designer

Kirkland, WA · On-site

$78.90K - $116.76K/yr

Who We Think Will be an Excellent Fit: * 5+ years of game design experience, with a focus on free-to-play mobile games. Experience designing card-collecting, card-battling, and/or deck-building games ...

2K

Game Designer

Kirkland, WA · On-site

$78.90K - $116.76K/yr

Who We Think Will be an Excellent Fit: * 5+ years of game design experience, with a focus on free-to-play mobile games. Experience designing card-collecting, card-battling, and/or deck-building games ...

2K

Game Designer

Kirkland, WA · On-site

$78.90K - $116.76K/yr

Who We Think Will be an Excellent Fit: * 5+ years of game design experience, with a focus on free-to-play mobile games. Experience designing card-collecting, card-battling, and/or deck-building games ...

Fanatics Collectibles

Lead Producer - TCG

Seattle, WA · On-site

About the Team Fanatics TCG is a new trading card game business, the newest member of the Fanatics ... Drive cross-functional execution across game design, art, product, brand, licensing, and operations ...

Fanatics

Narrative Designer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$176.40K - $216.80K/yr

... through card names, flavor text, mechanics, and set structure. • Ensure that narrative is ... Required : • 3+ years of experience in narrative design, writing, or worldbuilding for games ...

Pulsejobs

Designer - Entertainment

Carlsbad, CA

$26 - $29/hr

Additionally, design assignments are received requiring creative suggestions for brand enhancements ... Knowledge of sports and the sports and entertainment toy, trading card or trading card game ...

Fanatics

Rules Editor

Seattle, WA · On-site

... for trading card games, tabletop games, or systems-driven design. Preferred : • Experience with trading card games or tabletop rules systems. • Background in technical writing, editing, or ...

Netflix

Senior Game Producer - Party & Puzzle Games

OR · On-site +1

$170K - $250K/yr

Strong understanding of game development - Design, Programming, Art, Audio, Localization, QA, ... card games. * Highly-adaptable to fast-paced, dynamic environments * Open to receiving and giving ...

Netflix

Senior Game Producer - Party & Puzzle Games

$170K - $250K/yr

Strong understanding of game development - Design, Programming, Art, Audio, Localization, QA, ... card games. * Highly-adaptable to fast-paced, dynamic environments * Open to receiving and giving ...

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Card Game Design information

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$79.5K

$130.8K

$196K

How much do card game design jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for card game design in the United States is $130,762.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $107,000.00 and $150,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Card Game Designer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Card Game Designer, you need a strong understanding of game mechanics, probability, and player psychology, often supported by a background in game design, mathematics, or related fields. Familiarity with digital design tools like Adobe Creative Suite, prototyping software, and sometimes experience with playtesting platforms is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help designers iterate ideas and collaborate with artists and developers. These skills ensure the creation of engaging, balanced, and marketable card games that appeal to a wide audience.

What are some common challenges card game designers face when balancing game mechanics for both new and experienced players?

Card game designers often encounter the challenge of creating mechanics that are engaging for experienced players while still being accessible to newcomers. Balancing complexity and simplicity is key—too many intricate rules can overwhelm beginners, while overly simple mechanics may not hold the interest of seasoned players. Playtesting with diverse groups, gathering feedback, and iterating designs frequently are standard industry practices to achieve this balance. Additionally, designers must ensure that the game's elements promote fairness and minimize dominant strategies to keep gameplay dynamic and enjoyable for all.

What does a card game designer do?

A card game designer is responsible for creating the rules, mechanics, and overall experience of a card game. This includes developing the concept, designing the cards, balancing gameplay, and often playtesting to refine the game's flow and fairness. Card game designers may work on traditional games, collectible card games, or digital card games. Their role often involves collaborating with artists, developers, and publishers to bring the game to market.

What is the difference between Card Game Design vs Board Game Design?

AspectCard Game DesignBoard Game Design
Required CredentialsDesign skills, understanding of game mechanics, creativityDesign skills, understanding of mechanics, prototyping experience
Work EnvironmentCollaborative, often in game studios or freelanceSimilar, with focus on physical components and prototyping
Industry UsageUsed in tabletop gaming, card game companies, indie developersUsed in tabletop gaming, board game publishers, hobby industry
Search & Comparison IntentPeople comparing specific design roles in card gamesPeople interested in designing physical tabletop games

Card Game Design and Board Game Design share many skills, including mechanics development and prototyping. However, card game designers focus specifically on creating engaging card-based gameplay, while board game designers work on entire physical game systems. Both roles are vital in the tabletop gaming industry and often overlap in skills and work environment.

More about Card Game Design jobs
What cities are hiring for Card Game Design jobs? Cities with the most Card Game Design job openings:
What states have the most Card Game Design jobs? States with the most job openings for Card Game Design jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Card Game Design jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Card Game Design jobs are:
Card Game Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Card Game Design job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 3% As Needed, 40% Full Time, 42% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 13% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $130,762 per year, or $62.9 per hour.
Contract | Senior Game Designer, Content Design (MARVEL SNAP)

Contract | Senior Game Designer, Content Design (MARVEL SNAP)

Second Dinner Studios, Inc

Remote

$65 - $72/hr

Contractor

Posted yesterday

Job description

Who We Are
Second Dinner is an award-winning independent game development studio that is here to make the most fun games in the world. Not super fun games. Not SUPER DUPER fun games. We mean the MOST fun games. In fact, our game MARVEL SNAP has earned multiple Mobile Game of the Year Awards (Game Awards, DICE), Best Strategy Game (IGN), and the Apple Design Award for Innovation!
Second Dinner is a remote-first studio, so while we are headquartered in Irvine, California, most of our team is fully remote across the United States. We want the most talented teammates wherever they call home. A diverse team with varied perspectives makes us a better company and will help us make better games. If you can bring something new to the table and expand our point of view, that's a huge upside.
Our Design Team
At Second Dinner, we believe great design ideas come from everywhere, and everyone, and it's our job as Game Designers to collate, refine, implement, iterate, and help bring those ideas to life. We partner with every part of the studio, art, engineering, production, UX, product, analytics, and sound, to make the most fun and engaging experiences possible for our players. The Design team drives the designs of both live in-game experiences and all upcoming features and content going into the game worldwide.
Your Role
As a Senior Game Designer, Content Design, on MARVEL SNAP, you will be directly responsible for the design of new cards and locations, doing new and live card balance, managing our gameplay rules and interactions, and leading and mentoring other SNAP designers. You'll work closely with project leadership as well as cross-discipline folks around the company. The ideal person for this position will have world-class design ability and exceptional communication skills.
This is a 3-month contract role to start (with possible extension), but if it's a great mutual fit, it could evolve into a full-time position.
What You'll Do:
  • New and live card design
  • New and live card balance
  • New and live location design
  • Design theming and archetype planning for future releases
  • Managing our gameplay rulings and interactions
  • Lining up our featured location sets and other live operation needs
  • Lead designers, design projects, and design teams

What You'll Need:
  • Experience working on card games
  • Experience working on live service games
  • Experience owning game design verticals on shipped titles
  • Deep understanding of player types, behaviors, and motivations
  • Experience managing player sentiment with live operations
  • Experience leading designers and design teams

Nice to Have But Not Necessary:
  • Experience working on mobile games
  • Programming experience
  • Experience in Unity

This position pays a range of $65 - $72 per hour (USD).
Individual pay within this range may span multiple levels within the discipline and is determined by assessed job-related skills, experience, relevant education, or training. It also factors in market demands and business needs. The disclosed range is not adjusted based on location and may be subject to change or modification based on business needs in the future. This role is contracted through a third-party that provides health benefits, etc., which your recruiter can discuss more during the hiring process.
We are an equal opportunity employer that places high value on diversity and inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, disability status, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military status, or veteran status.
You must be legally authorized to work and reside in the United States. We do not sponsor visas or support employment outside the U.S. for this role.

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