1

Combat Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

At least one shipped title as a combat designer or similar role. Experience with behavior trees or similar NPC AI concepts preferred * Strong coding ability: Computer Science degree preferred though ...

You will be responsible for implementing, iterating on and supporting key combat and narrative game systems. WHO YOU ARE: * You have experience shipping games as a tech, systems, or gameplay designer.

Technical Designer

Bellevue, WA · On-site

$77K - $108K/yr

You will be responsible for implementing, iterating on and supporting key combat and narrative game systems. WHO YOU ARE: * You have experience shipping games as a tech, systems, or gameplay designer.

... designing, documenting, and building combat/character systems Experience delegating work or ownership of an area to multi-disciplinary peers Knowledge and perspective from playing competitive team ...

... game, designing, documenting, and building combat/character systems • Experience delegating work or ownership of an area to multi-disciplinary peers • Knowledge and perspective from playing ...

Sr Designer

Muskegon, MI · On-site

$92K - $98K/yr

... combat situations. RENK America employs over 500 employees at our US locations in Muskegon ... Description The Senior Designer role is an experienced level position responsible for the design ...

Sr Designer

Muskegon, MI · On-site

$92K - $98K/yr

... combat situations. RENK America employs over 500 employees at our US locations in Muskegon ... Description The Senior Designer role is an experienced level position responsible for the design ...

Working closely with programmers, animators, and other designers, you'll implement and refine combat with our NPCs - from prototyping new ideas to tuning the final experience. This is a hands-on ...

Working closely with programmers, animators, and other designers, you'll implement and refine combat with our NPCs from prototyping new ideas to tuning the final experience. This is a hands-on, high ...

Working closely with programmers, animators, and other designers, you'll implement and refine combat with our NPCs - from prototyping new ideas to tuning the final experience. This is a hands-on ...

CAD Designer

Muskegon, MI · On-site

$24.50 - $33.75/hr

... combat situations. RENK America employs over 500 employees at our US locations in Muskegon ... Description The Designer role is an experienced level position responsible for the design and ...

Designer 3

Pascagoula, MS · On-site

$28.34/hr

Job #218014 Chipton-Ross is seeking a Designer 3 for a contract opportunity in Pascagoula, MS ... Three years of related experience in power, controls, IC or combat systems design. Associate degree ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Combat Designer information

See salary details

$21.5K

$65.4K

$112K

How much do combat designer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for combat designer in the United States is $65,444.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $42,500.00 and $85,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Combat Designer do?

A Combat Designer is responsible for creating, balancing, and refining the combat mechanics in a game. They design enemy behaviors, player abilities, weapon systems, and encounter pacing to ensure engaging and fair gameplay. This role involves extensive collaboration with animators, programmers, and other designers to bring combat systems to life. Playtesting and iteration are crucial parts of the job to fine-tune mechanics for an optimal player experience.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Combat Designer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Combat Designer, a solid background in game design, understanding of gameplay mechanics, and proficiency in balancing combat systems are essential, often supported by a degree in game development or related experience. Familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal, scripting languages, and prototyping tools is typically required. Strong communication, collaboration, and creative problem-solving skills help Combat Designers excel within multidisciplinary teams. These skills ensure engaging and balanced combat experiences that enhance overall game quality and player satisfaction.

What are typical daily responsibilities for a Combat Designer in a game development studio?

As a Combat Designer, your daily responsibilities will often include designing and tweaking combat mechanics, creating and maintaining documentation, and prototyping new features or enemy behaviors. You’ll collaborate closely with artists, animators, and programmers to ensure combat elements are well-integrated and functioning as intended. Playtesting and collecting feedback to balance combat encounters is also a key part of the role. Additionally, you may participate in team meetings to discuss design goals and align on the overall vision for the project.

More about Combat Designer jobs
What cities are hiring for Combat Designer jobs? Cities with the most Combat Designer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Combat Designer jobs? The most popular types of Combat Designer jobs are:
What states have the most Combat Designer jobs? States with the most job openings for Combat Designer jobs include:
Infographic showing various Combat Designer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 98% Full Time, and 2% Part Time. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $65,444 per year, or $31.5 per hour.

Senior Combat Designer (Encounters)

Cloud Chamber

Novato, CA • On-site

$100K - $148K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 5 days ago


Job description

As a Senior Combat Designer at Cloud Chamber, you will be responsible for scripting and shaping unforgettable encounters throughout the world of BioShock 4. You will set the standard for what interactive gameplay moments look and feel like in our game, crafting engaging, high-quality combat encounters and narrative-driven events. You're a hands-on creator who thrives in cross-disciplinary collaboration and has a deep understanding of storytelling, combat, and systems design. In this role, you'll collaborate with a passionate team to craft engaging gameplay experiences that bring our richly imagined world to life.

What You'll Do:

  • Create and script engaging gameplay encounters that highlight the core systems and pacing of the project.
  • Work closely with the Combat Lead, World Lead, and Systems Lead to determine the best possible technical and creative approaches for encounter design.
  • Act as the owner for key encounters, populating the world with handcrafted moments that surprise and delight players.
  • Partner with multi-disciplinary pods to build and polish encounter content through scripting, layout iteration, and review.
  • Drive collaboration with stakeholders across AI, progression, exploration, and narrative to ensure variety and seamless world integration.
  • Identify and evangelize best practices for encounter scripting and implementation workflows.
  • Deliver work within established project targets and maintain the high quality standards of the company.

What We'll Do Together:

At Cloud Chamber, we are champions of high standards, pushing for progress and embracing change. We will work closely and constructively across design, art, engineering, animation, and audio teams to realize our creative ambitions. Together, we will stay current on technological advancements and identify solutions to overcome developmental obstacles. In this role, you will support the creative vision of the project, ensuring the design intent is translated into a performant reality while taking ownership of complex design challenges.

Skills & Experiences:

  • A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the video game industry.
  • Experience on at least one AAA project as a Designer, or Senior Designer.
  • Deep experience scripting encounters and developing compelling moment-to-moment gameplay.
  • Expert knowledge of Unreal Engine and visual scripting tools.

Who You Are:

  • A reliable, positive force multiplier, actively seeking opportunities to integrate work across disciplines and contribute to a healthy, supportive team environment.
  • A solid communicator with excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly, package information for diverse audiences, and deliver difficult feedback with empathy and professionalism.
  • Experienced in working in cross-disciplinary teams with strong communication skills.
  • Persistent and self-motivated with a proactive mindset.
  • Able to maintain effectiveness and quality under pressure, ambiguity, and fast-changing priorities.
  • An active listener able to build and maintain trust-based relationships across all levels of the organization, understand differing perspectives, and navigate organizational complexity with tact and emotional intelligence.
  • Highly open to feedback and direction, possessing a desire to learn new skills, and capable of producing quick, quality revisions based on new insights or constraints.
  • A strong ownership of tasks, striving to drive work forward autonomously while maintaining a critical eye for detail and organization, ensuring high standards of quality.
  • Dedicated to upholding Cloud Chamber's core values, contributing to a positive and respectful company culture while striving for excellence in all endeavors.

Who We Are:

At Cloud Chamber we strive to make BioShock games that move people: evocative, immersive, and meaningful experiences that stay with you long after you've rolled credits. Great games are born from great collaborations, supported by a culture that brings out the best in our teams. We work openly, learn through play, take ownership, push ourselves to be better, and deliver for our players.

The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $100,200 and $148,320 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program. Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company's discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness-related expenses.

#LI-Hybrid

For candidates located in Quebec:
This position requires professional proficiency in both French and English. Proficiency in English is required to collaborate with our U.S. teams and international partners, as well as to handle specialized technical documentation (reading, writing, and communication).