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Indie Game Developer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Spellbrush

Game Programmer (Unity)

San Francisco, CA · On-site

We are looking for an experienced game engineer with strong C# and Unity skills. You will be ... small indie studio: close-knit, with high ownership and flexibility. You're excited about the ...

Spellbrush

Game Programmer (Unity)

San Francisco, CA · On-site

We are looking for an experienced game engineer with strong C# and Unity skills. You will be ... small indie studio: close-knit, with high ownership and flexibility. You're excited about the ...

INVIZ

Community Manager

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$70K - $80K/yr

You've worked at an indie game studio, animation collective, or startup where creators, fans, and ... Manage relationships with our alliance network of creators - from indie animators to UGC developers

INVIZ

Community Manager

Santa Monica, CA

$70K - $80K/yr

You've worked at an indie game studio, animation collective, or startup where creators, fans, and ... UGC developers * Collaborate with the marketing and content teams on YouTube rollouts and go-to ...

Apple

Senior iOS Engineer, Apple Games

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$172K/yr

Join the Game Services UI team to help build the Apple Games app and the user-facing gaming ... We have an exciting roadmap supporting games ranging from mobile to indie to AAA, reaching deep ...

Apple

Senior iOS Engineer, Apple Games

Cupertino, CA

$184K - $277K/yr

Join the Game Services UI team to help build the Apple Games app and the user-facing gaming ... We have an exciting roadmap supporting games ranging from mobile to indie to AAA, reaching deep ...

Absurd Ventures

Lead Game UX/UI Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$150K - $190K/yr

Collaborate with game designers, artists, and engineers to ensure UI/UX meets project requirements ... Previous work on AAA titles or high-profile indie games. Description * Full-time job with benefits.

TapBlaze

Game Designer, Casual F2P

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$167K/yr

Play and deeply analyze casual games across genres, Match-3, Time Management, Simulation, Indie ... Collaborate with cross-functional teams (engineering, art, QA, marketing) to ensure designs are ...

TapBlaze

Game Designer, Casual F2P

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$167K/yr

Play and deeply analyze casual games across genres, Match-3, Time Management, Simulation, Indie ... Collaborate with cross-functional teams (engineering, art, QA, marketing) to ensure designs are ...

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All JobsIndie Game Developer JobsIndie Game Developer Jobs in California

Indie Game Developer information

See California salary details

$32.1K

$107K

$177.6K

How much do indie game developer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for indie game developer in California is $107,050.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $80,400.00 and $122,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the typical challenges faced by Indie Game Developers, and how can they be managed?

Indie Game Developers often face challenges such as limited budgets, small teams, and the need to multitask across a variety of roles including programming, design, and marketing. Balancing creative vision with practical constraints like deadlines and resource availability requires strong time management and adaptability. Many indie developers address these challenges by leveraging game development communities for feedback, using open-source tools or affordable assets, and continually learning new skills. Collaboration and networking with other developers can also provide valuable support and opportunities for partnership. Ultimately, being proactive and resourceful helps indie developers overcome obstacles and achieve their project goals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Indie Game Developer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Indie Game Developer, you need proficiency in game design, coding (typically in languages like C# or C++), and digital art or asset creation, often supported by a background in computer science, game development, or related fields. Fluency with engines such as Unity or Unreal Engine, version control systems like Git, and experience with publishing platforms are highly valuable. Strong project management, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and self-motivation are crucial soft skills, as many indie developers work in small teams or independently. These skills are essential for managing the full game development lifecycle, overcoming technical and creative challenges, and successfully bringing original games to market.

What is an Indie Game Developer job?

An Indie Game Developer is someone who creates video games independently or as part of a small team, without the financial backing of a large publisher. They handle multiple aspects of game development, including programming, design, art, and marketing. Indie developers have creative freedom but also face challenges like funding and distribution. Many release their games on platforms like Steam, itch.io, or consoles through self-publishing.

What are the most commonly searched types of Indie Game Developer jobs in California? The most popular types of Indie Game Developer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Indie Game Developer jobs in California? For Indie Game Developer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Indie Game Developer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Indie Game Developer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Indie Game Developer jobs? Cities in California with the most Indie Game Developer job openings:
Indie Game Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Indie Game Developer job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 82% Full Time, 6% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 11% Contract. Highlights an 83% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $107,050 per year, or $51.5 per hour.

Game Programmer (Unity)

Spellbrush

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 5 days ago

Job description

The Unity Engineer Role:
We are looking for an experienced game engineer with strong C# and Unity skills. You will be working closely with a small, multidisciplinary team to build out our upcoming anime mobile tactics game.
Our game programmers are mostly generalists, so you can work on lots of different areas of the game. It's important that you take pride in your work and know what it means to take responsibility and deliver quality and fun to players. You are comfortable taking a feature from a vague idea on a post-it to a fully working and polished implementation.
You may be a good fit if:
You love Strategy RPGs
Our team draws tons of inspiration from titles like Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics, and X-Com. Our next title aims to bring the best of this genre onto the mobile screen.
And you also love the anime aesthetic
We're also huge anime fans if you haven't noticed.
You deeply understand Unity
We're looking for someone with 5+ years of programming experience and a high level of familiarity with Unity. A good candidate must have shipped at least one game with Unity (personal projects are great!) and have built up a sixth sense for what is the "happy path" in modern Unity development.
You're comfortable working on small, fast-paced teams
Working here will feel very much like a small indie studio: close-knit, with high ownership and flexibility.
You're excited about the potential of Generative AI
You'll also be working closely along some of the best AI researchers in the world. Part of working with our team may involve looking at our latest research results, and figuring out how to best apply it into the game. You will be at the literal cutting edge of what is possible with machine learning, art, and games.

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