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Game Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Templar Media

Lead Game Designer

Alpharetta, GA · On-site

The Lead Designer should have excellent game design ability in both single and multiplayer and be a proven leader. Finally, the perfect candidate will be a designer that doesn't accept the status quo ...

Proxima

Senior Game Designer

San Francisco, CA · Remote

We're looking for a Senior Game Designer to play a leadership role on the project. We are a remote-first studio headquartered in San Francisco, California. Core Responsibilities: * Creative direction:

Zynga

Principal Game Designer

Carlsbad, CA · On-site

$107.10K - $158.52K/yr

Zynga is looking for an experienced Principal Game Designer to work on one of our new mobile games. This role leads and participates in direct design and creative input on gameplay mechanics and ...

Zynga

Principal Game Designer

Austin, TX · On-site

$123.20K - $182.36K/yr

Zynga is looking for an experienced Principal Systems Designer to work on one of our new mobile games. This role leads and participates in direct design and creative input on content and system ...

TapBlaze

Game Designer, Casual F2P

Los Angeles, CA

$167K/yr

Game Designer We need a game designer who actually plays casual F2P mobile games, not someone who tolerates them, but someone who genuinely loves them. You'll design new mechanics and improve ...

Proxima

Senior Game Designer

San Francisco, CA · Remote

We're looking for a Senior Game Designer to play a leadership role on the project. We are a remote-first studio headquartered in San Francisco, California. Core Responsibilities: * Creative direction:

Limit Break

$162.10K/yr

Game Designer (Puzzle) About us: Deep expertise. Personal and Industry evolution. Impeccable craft. These are Limit Break's founding principles. Limit Break is founded by global industry leaders in ...

Akima, LLC

Part Time Unity Game Designer

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$152.70K/yr

Pinnacle Solutions is looking for a passionate and motivated Game Designer to join our virtual development team on a part-time basis. The ideal candidate has a foundational understanding of game ...

Akima, LLC

Part Time Unreal Game Designer

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$152.70K/yr

Pinnacle Solutions is looking for a passionate and motivated Game Designer to join our virtual development team on a part-time basis. The ideal candidate has a foundational understanding of game ...

Zynga

Principal Game Designer

Carlsbad, CA · On-site

$107.10K - $158.52K/yr

Zynga is looking for an experienced Principal Game Designer to work on one of our new mobile games. This role leads and participates in direct design and creative input on gameplay mechanics and ...

TapBlaze

Game Designer, Casual F2P

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$167K/yr

We need a game designer who actually plays casual F2P mobile games, not someone who tolerates them, but someone who genuinely loves them. You'll design new mechanics and improve existing ones for ...

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How much do game designer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for game designer in the United States is $149,118.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $155,000.00 and $155,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Is a Game Designer?

A Video Game Designer works closely with a video game design team to create computer and video games for specific gaming consoles. The Game Designer is the creative driving force behind the game and conceives the mechanics and layout. This can include the story, characters, levels, and scenarios of the game. Depending on the size of the project, the Game Designer may work on their own or with a large team. Some Game Designers may have a niche or specialty within the industry such as the type of game they like to make or a certain creative style.

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

To thrive as a Game Designer, you need a strong grasp of game mechanics, storytelling, and user experience, often supported by a degree in game design or a related field. Familiarity with industry-standard tools such as Unity, Unreal Engine, and Adobe Creative Suite, as well as prototyping and scripting languages, is typically required. Creativity, collaboration, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for iterating ideas and working across multidisciplinary teams. These skills ensure the creation of engaging, playable games that resonate with players and meet project goals.

How do Game Designers typically collaborate with other departments during the development process?

Game Designers work closely with a variety of teams, including artists, programmers, sound designers, and producers, to bring a game concept to life. They are responsible for clearly communicating gameplay mechanics, story elements, and level design through detailed documentation and regular meetings. Collaboration often involves iterative feedback cycles, where designers must adapt their ideas based on technical constraints and creative input from colleagues. This teamwork ensures that the final product is cohesive and engaging, making strong communication and flexibility essential skills for success in this role.

What does a Game Designer do?

A Game Designer is responsible for creating the concepts, mechanics, storylines, and rules of video games. They work closely with other team members like artists, programmers, and writers to shape the gameplay experience and ensure it is engaging and balanced. Game Designers often create detailed documentation, prototypes, and playtests to refine their ideas throughout the development process. Their goal is to craft enjoyable, immersive, and interactive experiences that appeal to players.

What is the difference between Game Designer vs Level Designer?

AspectGame DesignerLevel Designer
Primary FocusOverall game concept, mechanics, story, and player experienceDesign and layout of specific game levels or environments
Required SkillsCreative thinking, game mechanics, storytelling, scriptingLevel layout, environment design, spatial awareness, scripting
Work EnvironmentCollaborates with artists, programmers, writers across entire game developmentWorks closely with artists and programmers to craft individual levels
Common UsageUsed in game development teams across all genresPrimarily in level-based or environment-rich games

Game Designers focus on the overall game concept, mechanics, and player experience, while Level Designers specialize in creating specific game environments and levels. Both roles require collaboration and creative skills, but their scope and focus differ significantly.

More about GAME Designer jobs
What cities are hiring for Game Designer jobs? Cities with the most Game Designer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Game Designer jobs? The most popular types of Game Designer jobs are:
Who are the top companies hiring for Game Designer jobs? The top employers for Game Designer jobs are:
What states have the most Game Designer jobs? States with the most job openings for Game Designer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Game Designer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Game Designer jobs are:
What are popular job titles related to Game Designer jobs? For Game Designer jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:
GAME Designer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Game Designer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 71% Full Time, 27% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $149,118 per year, or $71.7 per hour.

Lead Game Designer

Templar Media

Alpharetta, GA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 25 days ago

Job description

About the Role: As Lead Designer you will have the opportunity to shape the complete player experience of Templar games and to grow the design capabilities of a great design team even further. The Lead Designer should have excellent game design ability in both single and multiplayer and be a proven leader. Finally, the perfect candidate will be a designer that doesn't accept the status quo and is willing to push the envelope in their designs and try new things. Do you have the skills, experience and ability we're looking for? If you do apply now and help us take our games to the next level!
Responsibilities:
  • Drive the creation and refinement of game designs
  • Coordinate with the Game Director and Producer to help define scope, schedule design tasks and meet milestone demands
  • Perform ongoing design to iterate on, improve, and flesh out the game design throughout the development process from early design to post release add-ons
  • Work closely with the Lead Level Designer to manage the creation of levels
  • Work with all departments on the scheduling and integration of the game design, as well as game feature development goals and execution
  • Lead, coordinate and participate in collaborative efforts to implement and balance gameplay features, based on the design
  • Mentor the design team to grow their skill sets and capabilities
  • Establish and maintain best practices and processes for the design team, proactively improving how we do design
  • Maintain communications with all team members, team leads and executive management,internally and externally
  • Suggest and lead process improvement initiatives

Qualifications:
  • Lead Designer experience on at least one product from start to finish
  • Strong ability to coordinate and get the best out of a varied and diverse team of designers
  • At least 7 years of experience as a designer
  • Shipped title experience with both single player campaigns and multiplayer
  • Excellent design skills and thorough understanding of game design theory
  • Demonstrated ability and desire to "think outside the box"; when designing, challenge existing design paradigms, and push the envelope of design
  • Ability to clearly articulate complicated systems to other team members and senior management
  • Strong communication and inter-personal skills, leading to a demonstrated ability to work within a collaborative team structure
  • Minimum of 2 shipped products with design credit

Preference to Applicants With:
  • Unreal Engine 4/5 experience
  • Experience with both single-player and multiplayer gameplay design.
  • Experience with open-world or co-op game design.
  • Experience with combat and stealth game design
  • Familiarity with mission, quest, or dialogue systems.
  • Understanding of Unreal's Blueprint system and scripting workflows.
  • A love of games, especially action-adventure and cooperative titles.

Templar offers a highly competitive salary and benefits package and a professional but non-corporate environment. This position is full-time onsite at our studio in Alpharetta, GA.

Apply