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Games Designer Jobs in Kansas (NOW HIRING)

This is an F2P, mobile-first live-service game currently in pre-production, and our team is ... Partner with gameplay designers to ensure combat abilities, RPG progression, and scaling reinforce ...

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Games Designer information

See Kansas salary details

$41.9K

$139.1K

How much do games designer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for games designer in Kansas is $132,990.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $138,200.00 and $138,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a games designer?

Games designers are creative professionals responsible for developing the concepts, rules, storylines, characters, and overall structure of video games or board games. They collaborate with artists, programmers, and writers to bring their ideas to life, ensuring the game is engaging, playable, and enjoyable for users. Games designers often create detailed documentation, prototypes, and design mechanics that shape the player’s experience. Their work involves both creative thinking and technical understanding of game development processes.

How do games designers typically collaborate with other team members throughout a game's development?

Game Designers work closely with artists, programmers, sound designers, and producers to bring a game's vision to life. They often participate in regular team meetings, provide detailed design documentation, and give feedback on prototypes and builds. Effective communication and adaptability are key, as designers must balance creative ideas with technical constraints and feedback from playtesting. This collaborative environment helps ensure that gameplay mechanics, visuals, and user experience align with the overall project goals.

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

To thrive as a Games 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 or Unreal Engine, as well as proficiency in scripting languages like C# or Python, is typically required. Creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving are essential soft skills that set successful designers apart. These abilities ensure compelling, engaging game experiences and effective teamwork throughout the game development process.

What is the difference between Games Designer vs Game Developer?

AspectGames DesignerGame Developer
CredentialsDegree in game design, computer science, or related fieldDegree in computer science, software engineering, or related field
Work EnvironmentCreative teams, design studios, game studiosProgramming teams, software development environments
Industry UsageDesigning game concepts, mechanics, storylinesWriting code, implementing game features, debugging
Common Search IntentUnderstanding design roles, responsibilities, skillsLearning programming, development tools, coding tasks

Games Designers focus on creating the concept, mechanics, and overall experience of a game, working closely with artists and developers. Game Developers primarily write code, implement features, and build the game engine. Both roles collaborate but have distinct responsibilities within the game development process.

Is it hard to get a game designer job?

Getting a game designer job can be competitive due to high demand and the need for a strong portfolio, relevant skills in design tools, and understanding of game development processes. Building experience through internships, personal projects, or certifications can improve chances of employment in this field.

What jobs can a games designer get?

A games designer can pursue roles such as game developer, level designer, character artist, or game producer. These positions often require skills in programming, storytelling, and familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine. Many roles are found in the video game industry, mobile app development, or entertainment software companies.

What job categories do people searching Games Designer jobs in Kansas look for?

The top searched job categories for Games Designer jobs in Kansas are:

Infographic showing various Games Designer job openings in Kansas as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 74% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 62% Physical, and 38% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $132,990 per year, or $63.9 per hour.

Principal Systems Designer

Scopely

On-site

Full-time

Posted 7 days ago


Key responsibilities

  • Design and build core systems such as progression, combat scaling, economy, and rewards from initial definition through shippable implementation.

  • Partner with gameplay designers to ensure combat abilities, RPG progression, and scaling reinforce one another across the live-service lifecycle.

  • Use playtest results and analytics to evaluate system performance, identify opportunities, and iterate based on evidence.


Job description

We're looking for a Principal Systems Designer to join us on an exciting unannounced title built on a globally recognized IP. This is an F2P, mobile-first live-service game currently in pre-production, and our team is defining the systems and progression that will support the game over the long term.

At Scopely, we care deeply about what we do and want to inspire play, every day, whether in our work environments alongside our talented colleagues, or through our deep connections with our communities of players. We are a global team of game lovers who are developing, publishing, and innovating in the gaming industry, connecting millions of people around the world daily.

This is a hands-on individual contributor role. You'll own the design and implementation of core systems, working with the Director of Systems Design and the broader systems and gameplay teams to turn ambiguous, zero-to-one problems into shippable, well-instrumented systems. You'll work across quantitative modeling and in-engine implementation, building the tuning, tools, and systems needed to bring progression models to life. You'll also partner closely with combat and gameplay design to ensure abilities, progression, and scaling work together as a cohesive player experience.

What You'll Do
  • Design and build core systems, including progression, combat scaling, economy, and rewards, from initial definition through shippable implementation
  • Partner with gameplay designers to ensure combat abilities, RPG progression, and scaling reinforce one another across the live-service lifecycle
  • Build and maintain models, simulations, and tuning tools that define loot tables, costs, XP curves, and stat scaling as the game evolves
  • Implement, tune, and iterate on systems directly in Unity and supporting design tools
  • Create clear design documentation that enables designers, engineers, and producers to execute effectively
  • Collaborate with engineering to define tools and pipelines that enable efficient systems authoring, tuning, and balancing
  • Use playtest results and analytics to evaluate system performance, identify opportunities, and iterate based on evidence
  • Evaluate system proposals constructively, identifying design risks, tradeoffs, and opportunities for improvement while supporting systems that can evolve with future content
What You'll Bring
  • Ideally 8+ years of experience owning complex progression, economy, combat-adjacent, or related systems through development and launch or live operations
  • Strong technical capability, including experience building/maintaining spreadsheets and implementing systems in Unity, Unreal, a proprietary engine, or a scripting/tools environment
  • Deep understanding of RPG progression and scaling, including power curves, stat growth, gear or ability scaling, and their relationship with combat and content difficulty
  • Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including sound judgment about the strengths and limitations of data
  • Experience taking systems from initial definition through implementation, tuning, and a shippable state
  • Ability to translate ambiguous design problems into clear documentation that engineering, production, and other design partners can act on
  • Experience collaborating with combat, gameplay, or content designers to align progression systems with moment-to-moment gameplay
  • Evidence of learning from feedback, collaborating constructively across disciplines, and staying closely involved in implementation and iteration
Bonus Points
  • Experience designing systems for F2P collector games
  • Experience with multiplayer action RPGs
  • Experience working with licensed IP