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Gameplay Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

teamLFG

Staff Gameplay Designer - Social (Contract)

OR · On-site +1

We are seeking a highly technical, creative, and team-oriented contract Staff Gameplay Designer to contribute a new multiplayer action game on teamLFG. You will work closely with the entire Design ...

Epic Games

Lead Gameplay Designer

Cary, NC · On-site

What You'll Do Epic Games is looking for a Gameplay Designer to help create compelling gameplay experiences across combat, progression, systems, moment-to-moment mechanics, and live gameplay content ...

teamLFG

Staff Gameplay Designer - Social (Contract)

$76 - $115/hr

We are seeking a highly technical, creative, and team-oriented contract Staff Gameplay Designer to contribute a new multiplayer action game on teamLFG. You will work closely with the entire Design ...

teamLFG

Senior Gameplay Designer (Combat & AI)

OR · On-site +1

Are you excited to make gameplay that strongly cares about player intention, action game feel, and readability? We are seeking a highly technical, creative, and team-oriented Senior Sandbox Designer ...

Warnerbros

Senior Designer, Gameplay

$69K - $128K/yr

W B Games Avalanche - Senior Designer, Gameplay Avalanche Software, a division of Warner Brothers Games Inc. seeks a senior level gameplay designer. Join the team who created Hogwarts Legacy, a new ...

teamLFG

Senior Gameplay Designer (Combat & AI)

$118K - $177K/yr

Are you excited to make gameplay that strongly cares about player intention, action game feel, and readability? We are seeking a highly technical, creative, and team-oriented Senior Sandbox Designer ...

FS Studio

$90 - $130/hr

We are looking for an AR Game Designer to own the gameplay design and help turn the creative ... Define the core gameplay loop for short-form AR monster encounters. * Design intuitive mechanics ...

FS Studio

NY · On-site

$90 - $130/hr

We are looking for an AR Game Designer to own the gameplay design and help turn the creative ... Define the core gameplay loop for short-form AR monster encounters. * Design intuitive mechanics ...

FS Studio

AR Game Designer -- Mobile & WebAR

Miami, FL · Remote

$158K/yr

We are looking for an AR Game Designer to own the gameplay design and help turn the creative ... Define the core gameplay loop for short-form AR monster encounters. * Design intuitive mechanics ...

Spinplay Games

Game Designer

Las Vegas, NV

$148K/yr

Description SpinPlay Games is seeking a Game Designer to be involved in the development of new game designs, theme designs, game flow and the overall vision of the game. This role is responsible for ...

Spinplay Games

Game Designer

Las Vegas, NV

$148K/yr

Description SpinPlay Games is seeking a Game Designer to be involved in the development of new game designs, theme designs, game flow and the overall vision of the game. This role is responsible for ...

Electronic Arts

$90 - $120/hr

Senior Game Designer - Weapons/Combat (Apex Legends) Work Model: Hybrid Respawn Entertainment Founded in 2010, Respawn was created with the philosophy that when talented people have creative freedom ...

SpinPlay Games

Game Designer

$158K/yr

SpinPlay Games is seeking a Game Designer to be involved in the development of new game designs, theme designs, game flow and the overall vision of the game. This role is responsible for directing ...

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Gameplay Designer information

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$81K

$145.4K

$205K

How much do gameplay designer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for gameplay designer in the United States is $145,359.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $116,000.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a gameplay designer do?

A Gameplay Designer is responsible for creating and refining the interactive systems that define the player's experience in a game. They design mechanics, gameplay loops, and balance difficulty to ensure an engaging and fun experience. This role involves collaborating with programmers, artists, and other designers to implement and iterate on gameplay elements. Gameplay Designers also analyze player feedback and data to fine-tune mechanics and improve overall game feel.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a gameplay designer?

To thrive as a Gameplay Designer, you need strong game design fundamentals, creative problem-solving abilities, and a solid understanding of player experience and engagement. Experience with industry-standard tools such as Unity, Unreal Engine, scripting languages (like C# or Blueprint), and familiarity with version control systems is highly valued. Excellent teamwork, communication skills, and a collaborative mindset are essential for effectively working with development teams and stakeholders. These skills help ensure the creation of compelling and balanced gameplay experiences that resonate with players and meet project goals.

What does a typical day look like for a gameplay designer?

A typical day for a Gameplay Designer often involves collaborating with programmers, artists, and other designers to brainstorm new features, refine mechanics, and address feedback from playtests. You can expect to design and document gameplay systems, tweak parameters for balance, and prototype new ideas to see how they work in practice. Communication with cross-functional teams is frequent to ensure all aspects of the gameplay are cohesive and fun for players. Additionally, regular participation in team meetings and reviews helps keep everyone aligned on project vision and priorities.

How do I become a gameplay designer?

To become a gameplay designer, you typically need a bachelor's degree in game design, computer science, or a related field, along with strong skills in game mechanics, storytelling, and user experience. Gaining experience through personal projects, internships, or portfolio work is important, and proficiency with game development tools like Unity or Unreal Engine can be beneficial.

What jobs can a gameplay designer get?

A gameplay designer can pursue roles such as level designer, game designer, systems designer, or narrative designer within the game development industry. These positions often require skills in game mechanics, storytelling, and proficiency with design tools like Unity or Unreal Engine. Career progression may lead to senior designer, lead designer, or creative director roles.
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Cities with the most Gameplay Designer job openings:

What states have the most Gameplay Designer jobs?

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What job categories do people searching Gameplay Designer jobs look for?

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Gameplay Designer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Gameplay Designer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 7% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 5% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,359 per year, or $69.9 per hour.

Staff Gameplay Designer - Social (Contract)

teamLFG

OR • On-site, Remote

Full-time

Re-posted 2 days ago

Job description

Are you on a mission to create games that bond players together into deeply invested communities? Do you spend your time thinking about how different game mechanics can come together to create emergent, dynamic, and frankly hilarious social moments? Are you excited to make gameplay that strongly cares about player intention, action game feel, and expressive communication?

We are seeking a highly technical, creative, and team-oriented contract Staff Gameplay Designer to contribute a new multiplayer action game on teamLFG. You will work closely with the entire Design Team prototyping, exploring, and implementing player avatars and their suite of verbs for the social area of a competitive PvP game. You will collaborate with team members from other disciplines to drive cohesive gameplay vision. You will help build the systems that enable our game to become a third place. Most importantly, you will work with a fun, dedicated, and cross-disciplinary team devoted to turning a creative dream into a new franchise at PlayStation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Build and maintain the avatar movement and core sandbox systems that enable cooperative social gameplay and player expression, while building trust between players

Build the systems to allow for avatar customization, creating extensible opportunities for player investment and a progression economy, as well as player self expression and customization

Build compelling gameplay experiences through reusable sandbox mechanics, especially 3C (Character, Camera and Controls) design and implementation

Create endearing NPCs that improve IP quality, consistency, along with sandbox design principles

Work with audio, effects, and animation to clearly communicate gameplay affordances to players

REQUIRED SKILLS

Understanding of how modern multiplayer social games can leverage an intuitive and expressive action sandbox to create memories between players

Fluency for collaboration with designers, artists, programmers, audio professionals, quality assurance and producers to achieve a common goal, with adaptability for how to work in a flexible work environment

Broad T-shaped rapid prototyping skills, with enough multi-disciplinary knowledge to quickly stub out gameplay ideas to evaluate their potential

Strong technical scripting skills and understanding of how to structure game design tools to unlock player expression, content variety, and execution speed

Strong understanding of character motion and animation; momentum, timing, and their impact on player communication and tone

Proven ability to build alignment and productively own feature direction without sacrificing empathy and collaboration with team contributors

Ability to operate autonomously and handle ambiguity, including giving and receiving feedback despite that ambiguity

Ability to create plans and evaluate them for meeting the experiential needs of the players and markets

Outstanding oral and written communication skills

Demonstrated understanding of how systemically consistent, combinatoric game design can create player surprise and laughter

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

Experience as a Staff Sandbox/Gameplay Designer on AAA or large-scale online action games, designing, documenting, and building character customization systems

Experience delegating work or ownership of an area to multi-disciplinary peers

Experience with social/cooperative game design and balancing for an active player base

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