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Computer Games Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Frontend Programmer Intern

Cary, NC · On-site

$17.75 - $23.50/hr

ENGINEERING - EPIC GAMES SERVICES What We Do Driving the plug-in power behind Unreal Engine 5. We ... Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science or a related field * Coursework or project ...

... audio, engineering, and design teams to align math with player experience * Play-test games in ... Bachelor's degree or higher in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, or related field * Strong ...

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Computer Games Developer information

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$32.5K

$108.5K

$180K

How much do computer games developer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for computer games developer in the United States is $108,471.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $81,500.00 and $124,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a computer games developer do?

A Computer Games Developer is responsible for designing, creating, and programming video games for computers, consoles, and mobile devices. They work as part of a team that may include artists, designers, and sound engineers to bring a game concept to life. Their tasks often involve writing code, testing game features, fixing bugs, and optimizing performance to ensure a smooth gaming experience. Computer Games Developers may specialize in areas like gameplay, graphics, or artificial intelligence, depending on the project and their expertise.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a computer games developer?

To thrive as a Computer Games Developer, you need strong programming skills (commonly in C++, C#, or Java), a good understanding of game design principles, and often a relevant degree in computer science or game development. Proficiency with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, knowledge of version control systems (e.g., Git), and sometimes certifications in specific platforms are typically required. Creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication are essential soft skills that help developers collaborate and innovate. These skills and qualities are crucial for building engaging, technically sound games that succeed in a competitive industry.

What are some common challenges faced by computer games developers during the game development cycle?

Computer games developers often encounter challenges such as managing tight deadlines, adapting to rapidly changing project requirements, and ensuring smooth collaboration across multidisciplinary teams like artists, designers, and programmers. Balancing creativity with technical constraints, optimizing game performance, and fixing bugs under time pressure are also typical hurdles. Additionally, keeping up with evolving technologies and industry trends can be demanding, but overcoming these challenges can lead to significant professional growth and rewarding project outcomes.

What is the difference between Computer Games Developer vs Software Developer?

AspectComputer Games DeveloperSoftware Developer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Computer Science, Game Design, or related fields; knowledge of game enginesBachelor's in Computer Science or related fields; programming skills
Work EnvironmentGame studios, entertainment companies, independent projectsTech companies, startups, corporate software teams
Industry UsageVideo game industry, entertainment sectorVarious industries including finance, healthcare, tech
Common Search/ComparisonOften compared for programming and development skillsBroader software development roles

Computer Games Developers focus on creating interactive entertainment using specialized game engines and design principles, often working in entertainment or gaming studios. Software Developers have a broader scope, working on various applications across industries. While both roles require programming skills and similar educational backgrounds, their work environments and end products differ significantly.

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What cities are hiring for Computer Games Developer jobs?

Cities with the most Computer Games Developer job openings:

What states have the most Computer Games Developer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Computer Games Developer jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Computer Games Developer jobs?

For Computer Games Developer jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Computer Games Developer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 84% Full Time, 12% Part Time, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 73% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 25% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $108,471 per year, or $52.1 per hour.

Gameplay Engineer, Missions - StarCraft | Irvine, CA

Irvine, CA • On-site, Remote

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation • 1 - 5K employees

$38.08 - $70.44/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 3 days ago

New


Blizzard Entertainment rating

9.3

Company rating: 9.3 out of 10

Based on 12 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Team Name:

StarCraftJob Title:Gameplay Engineer, Missions - StarCraft | Irvine, CARequisition ID:R028116Job Description:

Blizzard Entertainment is assembling a team to build the next chapter of StarCraft, returning to a universe forged in interstellar war. This mission offers something new: crafting an original story-driven, open-world shooter while honoring the legacy of one of Blizzard's most beloved games.

We are here to reignite this universe alongside you. We are here to make StarCraft, and it's about damn time.

As a Gameplay Engineer on our Missions team, you will collaborate closely with designers and artists to prototype, implement, and polish high-quality AAA mission content and the gameplay features that support it, enabling the creation of cinematic experiences that drive storytelling and gameplay. You will help turn creative intent into reliable player experiences, iterating quickly while maintaining correctness, performance, and long-term maintainability.

This role offers a hybrid work week, with a mix of work-from-home and on-site days, based out of our Irvine studio.

Responsibilities

This role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

  • Partner with mission designers to prototype, implement, and iterate on mission content from early concepts through shippable quality.

  • Deliver player-facing mission experiences with a strong focus on clarity, pacing, reliability, and polish.

  • Implement and maintain mission gameplay features and supporting code frameworks with an emphasis on correctness, readability, and extensibility.

  • Improve mission iteration speed by strengthening workflows, debugging visibility, and validation that reduce authoring risk.

  • Profile and optimize mission content and gameplay features to help ensure stable, release-quality execution.

  • Collaborate with cross-disciplinary and technical partners to diagnose issues and drive fixes to resolution.

  • Contribute to healthy engineering practices through frequent readable commits, constructive code reviews, and lightweight documentation that helps the team scale.

  • Champion Blizzard's core values and contribute to a collaborative, inclusive team culture.

Requirements

Experience

  • 5+ years of experience in gameplay engineering or a combination of applicable training and related experience.

  • Engineering contributions to at least one shipped game title or similarly complex real-time interactive product.

  • Experience delivering high quality features and experiences as part of a cross-functional team including designers, artists, animators, level designers, FX artists, etc.

  • Experience working on real-time 3D games.

Knowledge & Skills

  • Ability to understand and write production-grade C++ code.

  • Capacity to make frequent, readable, well-tested code commits and participate effectively in code reviews.

  • Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills.

  • Experience analyzing gameplay features and content for performance and optimizing toward release quality.

  • Strong communication and collaboration skills in multi-disciplinary teams.

Extra Points

Experience

  • Degree in computer science, mathematics, physics, or a related discipline.

  • Experience in development using the Unreal engine (both C++ and Blueprint).

  • Experience developing and shipping AAA game titles for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation consoles.

Knowledge & Skills

  • Experience working in a large codebase and collaborating across multiple gameplay teams.

  • Experience working on online multiplayer games.

Key Attributes

  • Passion for gameplay development, especially for the quality of the moment-to-moment experience.

Your Platform

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry's most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

Our World

Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, Candy Crush and Bubble Witch. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!

Our ability to build immersive and innovate worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered!

The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.

Rewards

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

  • Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
  • 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
  • Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
  • Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
  • If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $38.08 - $70.44 Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role's range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.

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About Blizzard Entertainment

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Blizzard Entertainment is a globally recognized leader in the Digital Gaming industry, renowned for creating some of the world's most popular video games such as "World of Warcraft," "Overwatch," and "Diablo." The company was founded in 1991 and is currently based in Irvine, California, USA. Aside from creating engaging video games, Blizzard Entertainment also develops and supports a wide range of software products within the realm of entertainment. The company prides itself on its commitment to quality, an element that can be recognized in its vast array of legendary games. Notably, its creation, World of Warcraft, remains one of the highest-grossing video games of all time.

Industry

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Irvine, CA, US

Year founded

1991

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