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Freelance Game Developer Remote Jobs in Chicago, IL

Parts Town

Principal Backend Engineer (Remote)

Addison, IL · On-site +1

$133K - $179K/yr

That's what keeps us at the top of our game. We're proud that our workplace has been recognized for ... Collaboration with frontend, DevOps, and data teams will be key to optimizing system performance.

Vivid Seats

Creator in Residence

Chicago, IL · Remote

$300/wk

Front row. Does getting paid to attend sold-out concerts, playoff games, buzzer beaters and ... Contract (Freelance) * Duration: 6 months * Location: Remote, US-based * Rate: $300 per video What ...

Wand

Head of Product

Chicago, IL · Remote

$250K - $300K/yr

Wand makes gaming magical. Through game customization and guidance, we build tools that helps ... Partner closely with Engineering and Design to prioritize initiatives and deliver high-quality ...

Nuphoriq

Director of Web Strategy & Design

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

You'll lead our web team and freelancers through the website process. * Innovation. You'll improve ... You don't need to be the only writer, SEO person, analyst, or developer, but you do need to ...

Wand

Product Analyst

Chicago, IL · Remote

$145K - $175K/yr

Wand makes gaming magical. Through game customization and guidance, we build tools that helps ... Data engineering owns the pipelines; you'll focus on the analysis, the recommendation, and the ...

NxT Level

Technical Artist

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

$130K - $156K/yr

Remote - US and Canada only thatgamecompany designs and develops artistically crafted, broadly ... Work with engineering and art teams to develop custom shaders from scratch * Work across several ...

Rush Street Interactive

Affiliate Manager

Chicago, IL · Remote

We're building bridges between online, social and land-based gaming businesses to create amazing ... Partner with BI, Data Science, Product, CRM, Legal, Compliance, and Engineering to improve ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsGame Developer JobsFreelance Game Developer Remote JobsFreelance Game Developer Remote Jobs in Chicago, IL

Freelance Game Developer Remote information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$33.5K

$111.7K

$185.4K

How much do freelance game developer remote jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for freelance game developer remote in Chicago, IL is $111,741.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $84,000.00 and $127,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a freelance game developer remote?

A Freelance Game Developer (Remote) is a professional who designs, develops, and programs video games while working independently and remotely, typically for various clients or studios. They may be responsible for coding, creating assets, game mechanics, testing, and sometimes project management. Working remotely allows them to collaborate with teams or clients across different locations using online tools. Freelance game developers often manage their own schedules and workloads, providing flexibility but also requiring strong self-motivation and communication skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a freelance game developer remote?

To thrive as a Freelance Game Developer (Remote), you need strong programming skills (such as C++, C#, or JavaScript), game design expertise, and a solid portfolio demonstrating completed projects. Familiarity with popular game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, version control systems (e.g., Git), and knowledge of platform-specific deployment are essential technical qualifications. Exceptional communication, self-motivation, and time management skills help you collaborate with clients and teams across different locations. These competencies ensure you can efficiently deliver high-quality games while maintaining client satisfaction and meeting project deadlines.

What are some common challenges freelance game developers face when working remotely, and how can they be managed?

Freelance game developers working remotely often encounter challenges such as coordinating with clients across different time zones, managing project scope changes, and ensuring clear communication with team members. To manage these issues, it's important to establish regular check-ins, use collaborative tools like Slack or Trello, and set clear expectations regarding deliverables and deadlines. Building a routine and creating a dedicated workspace can also help maintain productivity and work-life balance.

What is the difference between Freelance Game Developer Remote vs Freelance Game Designer Remote?

AspectFreelance Game Developer RemoteFreelance Game Designer Remote
Required SkillsProgramming, coding, software developmentCreativity, storytelling, visual design
Work EnvironmentRemote, project-basedRemote, project-based
Industry UsageDevelops game mechanics, code, and softwareDesigns game concepts, levels, and user experience

While both roles work remotely and often on a freelance basis, game developers focus on coding and software creation, whereas game designers concentrate on game concepts and user experience. Understanding these differences helps clients find the right freelancer for their project needs.

What are popular job titles related to Freelance Game Developer Remote jobs in Chicago, IL?

For Freelance Game Developer Remote jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Freelance Game Developer Remote jobs in Chicago, IL look for?

The top searched job categories for Freelance Game Developer Remote jobs in Chicago, IL are:

What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Freelance Game Developer Remote jobs?

Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Freelance Game Developer Remote job openings:

Freelance Game Developer Remote jobs near you
Infographic showing various Freelance Game Developer Remote job openings in Chicago, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 38% Contract. Highlights an 100% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $111,741 per year, or $53.7 per hour.

Principal Backend Engineer (Remote)

Parts Town

Addison, IL • On-site, Remote

$133K - $179K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 15 days ago

Parts Town rating

8.7

Company rating: 8.7 out of 10

Based on 14 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

47th of 428 rated retail wholesalers

Job description

Position at Parts Town
See What We're All About
As the fastest-growing distributor of restaurant equipment, HVAC and residential appliance parts, we like to do things a little differently. First, you need to understand and demonstrate our Core Values with safety being your first priority. That's key. But we're also looking for unique enthusiasm, high integrity, courage to embrace change...and if you know a few jokes, that puts you on the top of our list!
Do you have a genius-level knowledge of original equipment manufacturer parts? If not, no problem! We're more interested in passionate people with fresh ideas from different backgrounds. That's what keeps us at the top of our game. We're proud that our workplace has been recognized for its growth and innovation on the Inc. 5000 list 15 years in a row and the Crain's Fast 50 list ten times. We are honored to be voted by our Chicagoland team as a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace for the last four years.
If you're ready to roll up your sleeves, go above and beyond and put your ambition to work, all while having some fun, let's chat - Apply Today!
Perks
  • Parts Town Pride - check out our virtual tour and culture!
  • Quarterly profit-sharing bonus
  • Hybrid Work schedule
  • Team member appreciation events and recognition programs
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Monthly IT stipend
  • Casual dress code
  • On-demand pay options: Access your pay as you earn it, to cover unexpected or even everyday expenses
  • All the traditional benefits like health insurance, 401k/401k match, employee assistance programs and time away - don't worry, we've got you covered.

The Job at a Glance
As a Principal Backend Engineer, you will design, architect, and optimize scalable microservices that power our eCommerce and enterprise platforms. You'll drive backend architecture and ensure seamless integration across systems like commerce, CMS, ERP, PIM, and marketing. Championing best practices in modularization, API design, and event-driven architectures, you'll leverage Node.js, TypeScript, Docker, Kubernetes, and serverless technologies to create secure, high-performance services.
You'll own backend engineering policies, CI/CD pipelines, and testing automation to ensure reliable deployments. As a technical leader, you'll define logging, observability, and disaster recovery strategies, ensuring high availability. Collaboration with frontend, DevOps, and data teams will be key to optimizing system performance. Mentoring engineers and contributing to architectural decisions will be central to your role. This position is ideal for someone with extensive experience in backend design and distributed systems.
A Typical Day
  • Backend Architecture: Design scalable, cloud-native microservices and ensure seamless interoperability between platforms (eCommerce, CMS, ERP, PIM, marketing)
  • Implementation & Best Practices: Leverage Node.js, TypeScript, Docker, Kubernetes, and serverless technologies to build high-performance services. Advocate for modularization, API-first, event-driven architectures, and domain-driven design
  • Engineering Standards: Establish CI/CD practices, automated testing, and backend tooling standards. Drive adoption of best practices for service-to-service communication (REST, GraphQL, gRPC)
  • Operational Practices: Lead disaster recovery strategies, define observability and logging best practices, and drive automated testing strategies
  • Cross-functional Collaboration: Work with frontend, DevOps, and data teams to optimize APIs, caching, and databases.
  • Mentor engineers and collaborate with other Principal Engineers to ensure engineering excellence

To Land This Opportunity
  • You have strong written and verbal communication skills in English
  • You have 10+ years of experience in backend system design, eCommerce, and distributed applications
  • You're an expert in Node.js, TypeScript, and cloud-native platforms (Azure preferred)
  • You're passionate and knowledgeable of databases (PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis), microservices, event-driven architectures (Kafka, NATS), and API standards (REST, GraphQL)
  • You possess experience with unit, integration, and contract testing (Jest, Mocha, Pact) and CI/CD (Terraform, Pulumi)
  • You are a familiar with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure), serverless computing, Kubernetes, and containerization
  • You have proven ability to mentor engineers and collaborate across teams.

About Your Future Team
The Ecommerce team is a fast-growing group that embraces the rapid change that comes with incredible growth. We bring our whole selves to work each day - personality and all - in true Parts Town style.
At Parts Town, we value transparency and are committed to ensuring our team members feel appreciated and supported. We prioritize our positive workplace culture where collaboration, growth, and work-life balance are celebrated. The salary range for this role is $133,164.93 - $179,711.01 annually which is based on including but not limited to qualifications, experience, and geographical location. Parts Town is a pay for performance-company. In addition to base pay, some roles offer a profit-sharing program, and an annual bonus depending on the role. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k) with match, employee assistance programs, paid time off, paid sick time off, paid holidays, paid parental leave, and professional development opportunities.
Parts Town welcomes diversity and as an equal opportunity employer all qualified applicants will be considered regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.
We are an E-Verify employer.
For more information, please click on the following links:
E-Verify Participation Poster: English Spanish
E-Verify Right to Work Poster: English Spanish

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