Gameplay Software Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Sr. Gameplay Engineer (Temporary)
Who We Are
2K is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). Founded in 2005, 2K Games is a global video game company, publishing titles developed by some of the most influential game development studios in the world. Our studios responsible for developing 2K's portfolio of world-class games across multiple platforms, include Visual Concepts, Firaxis, Hangar 13, CatDaddy, Cloud Chamber, 31st Union, HB Studios, and 2K SportsLab. Our portfolio of titles is expanding due to our global strategic plan, building and acquiring exciting studios whose content continues to inspire all of us! 2K publishes titles in today's most popular gaming genres, including sports, shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, casual, and family entertainment.
Our team of engineers, marketers, artists, writers, data scientists, producers, thinkers and doers, are the professional publishing stewards of 2K's portfolio currently includes several AAA, sports and entertainment brands, including global powerhouse NBA® 2K, renowned BioShock®, Borderlands®, Mafia, Sid Meier's Civilization® and XCOM® brands; popular WWE® 2K and WWE® SuperCard franchises, TopSpin 2K25, as well as the critically and commercially acclaimed PGA TOUR® 2K.
At 2K, we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive work environment, which means encouraging our teams to Come as You Are and do your best work! We encourage ALL applicants to explore our global positions, even if they don't meet every requirement for the role. If you're interested in the job and think you have what it takes to work at 2K, we encourage you to apply!
What We Need
We are looking for a Senior Gameplay Software Engineer to join a forward-looking R&D team focused on high-impact technology exploration. Operating as a fast-moving, highly efficient team, we are piloting cutting-edge toolsets and workflows designed to streamline development and explore what the future of AAA game production looks like.
In this role, you will own the character movement and player control systems at the heart of our unannounced project. You will bring deep Unreal Engine 5 expertise and a passion for responsive, authentic movement to a close-knit, veteran team of craft experts who communicate at a high level but also love getting hands-on with the code. This role demands hands-on mastery beyond the character on the screen-you'll own the broader player-side surface including player systems, inventory, and dynamic gameplay data pipelines.
What You Will Do
• Design and implement character control systems that feel responsive, authentic, and physically convincing.
• Architect and extend character movement using Unreal Engine's Character Movement Component (CMC) or Mover Plugin.
• Collaborate daily with animators, designers, and gameplay engineers in a highly collaborative, flat-structure environment.
• Prototype, test, and polish gameplay systems from concept to production-ready states using modern R&D workflows.
• Own the broader player-side stack alongside character work, including inventory, equipment, gameplay scripting interfaces, and the data flowing into the UI.
• Partner with designers to keep HUDs and player-facing screens tightly coupled to gameplay state, maintaining clean ownership of where data lives and how it propagates.
• Optimize character and control systems for modern consoles and PCs to ensure high-performance execution.
What Will Make You A Great Fit
• Experience: 5+ years of professional software engineering experience in game development.
• Engine Mastery: Deep, production-proven expertise in C++ and UE5 Blueprints.
• Frameworks: Strong understanding of Gameplay Ability System (GAS), Enhanced Input, or other key UE5 gameplay frameworks.
• Movement Systems: Hands-on experience developing and customizing character movement systems (CMC or Mover).
• Performance: Extensive experience with optimization, memory management, and writing deterministic gameplay code.
• Game Feel: An exceptional eye for authentic human movement, animation blending, and highly responsive game feel (the "3Cs").
• Systemic Thinker: You understand how to build features that don't just work in a vacuum but are built to scale for a full production environment.
• Clear Communicator: You can translate technical constraints to level designers and "game feel" requirements, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
• Polished Execution: You know how to take a raw prototype and harden the implementation until it's production-ready, stable, and easy for other designers to maintain.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
Beneficial Qualifications
• Performance Capture: Strong experience with Unreal Engine performance capture pipelines and optimization.
• AAA Pedigree: Experience developing gameplay systems for AAA third-person action-adventure titles.
• System Design: A proven track record of shipping games with a core focus on Character, Camera, and Controls (the "3Cs") in a senior capacity.
• Innovation: A strong passion for learning and shaping cutting-edge, modernized R&D pipelines designed to accelerate development.
This is a 6-month temporary role with the potential for an extension based on business needs and performance.
Equal Opportunity & Security Notice
The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $108,900 and $161,160 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.
Please note that 2K Games and its studios never use instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews and when emailing, only use 2K.com accounts.
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