Games Designer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

As a Principal Game Designer, you will design, tweak, and optimize the player experience. Your analytical skills, player insight, and creativity aid in crafting in- and out-of-game experiences that engage and surprise players. You will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and work with every tool at hand to innovate and iterate player-focused designs that'll delight millions around the world.
VALORANT is Riot's take on a character-based tactical shooter. As a Principal Game Designer on the Competitive Systems team, you'll help shape and define how players engage with competition across ranked, matchmaking, and adjacent systems that influence mastery, fairness, and long-term growth. You'll partner with product managers, engineers, analysts, and other designers to develop systems that are strategically sound, motivating to engage with, and worthy of players' investment over time. You have significant competitive multiplayer affinity and experience, understanding the challenges players encounter and the motivations that drive them. You are comfortable operating in ambiguous spaces and can design and iterate on solutions to complex systemic problems. This role reports to the Lead Metasystems Designer.
Responsibilities:

• Define and evolve competitive systems that reward player skill, growth, and long-term investment in VALORANT.
• Guide the design of ranked, matchmaking, and adjacent competitive systems to support fairness, competitive integrity, and player engagement.
• Work closely with product managers, engineers, analysts, and design leadership to ensure systems are cohesive, consistent, and in line with VALORANT's overall vision.
• Keep the focus on player value by leveraging feedback, research, and game data to iterate on designs and improve the competitive experience.
• Create multiple design solutions and clearly articulate the trade-offs, risks, and player impact of each.
• Provide direction, mentorship, and feedback to other designers, fostering collaboration and craft excellence across systems design.
• Playtest VALORANT regularly and help push improvements for existing systems and new concepts.

Required Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in professional Game Design.
• Deep experience developing competitive multiplayer systems such as matchmaking, ranked, and skill systems.
• Shipped or contributed to at least one AAA+ online competitive title.
• Demonstrated ability to design and iterate on complex systems with a clear understanding of player impact and downstream effects.
• Strong communication skills with proven ability to articulate design rationale, trade-offs, and decision frameworks to cross-disciplinary partners.
• Experience working in a live-service development environment.

Desired Qualifications:

• Deep passion for and understanding of competitive online games and their player communities.
• Familiarity with online shooters, especially VALORANT or tactical shooters.
• Experience balancing competitive integrity with engaging and rewarding systems.
• Experience as a senior craft leader or thought partner on materially impactful design initiatives.
• Ability to interpret and learn from charged or emotional player feedback to improve the product experience.
• Experience developing across multiple platforms, including PC, console, or mobile.

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise and a collaborative spirit that prioritizes the delight of players. We will look at your past studies and experience, but for this role, we also look for dedicated people with a personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about players' experiences, this is the role for you!
Our Perks:
Riot has a focus on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy, in addition to other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner and children, and a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages for more information.
At Riot Games, we put players first . That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether you're working directly on a new player-facing experience or you're supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, we're better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, we're looking forward to your application.
It's our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Washington Fair Chance Act.
Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

• Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data
• Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
• Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks
• Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters

These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security.
(Los Angeles Only) Base salary range between $185,200.00 - $258,000.00 USD + incentive compensation + equity + 401K with company match + medical, dental, vision, and life insurance + short and long-term disability + open PTO.
(Mercer Island only) Base salary range between $185,200.00 - $258,000.00 USD + incentive compensation + equity + 401K with company match + medical, dental, vision, and life insurance + short and long-term disability + open PTO.

• (Los Angeles Only) Base salary range between $185,200.00 - $258,000.00 USD + incentive compensation + equity + 401K with company match + medical, dental, vision, and life insurance + short and long-term disability + open PTO.
• (Mercer Island only) Base salary range between $185,200.00 - $258,000.00 USD + incentive compensation + equity + 401K with company match + medical, dental, vision, and life insurance + short and long-term disability + open PTO.