1

Indie Game Developer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Business Development

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$80 - $120/hr

... game developers, depending on end client needs. You'll be the face of our Bay Area presence ... indie studios -- identifying opportunities to expand engagement beyond player support and QA into ...

New

Director / Head of Game Capture

Los Angeles, CA ยท On-site

$145K - $185K/yr

... indie. What You'll Do * Direct Virtual Cinematography: Turn creative briefs, scripts, and ... developer tools. * Lead & Scale the Capture Team: Oversee, mentor, and grow our team of in-house ...

... indie. What You'll Do * Direct Virtual Cinematography: Turn creative briefs, scripts, and ... developer tools. * Lead & Scale the Capture Team: Oversee, mentor, and grow our team of in-house ...

... game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute ... We're offering AI Engineer Internships in regions across the globe to help drive that shift ...

... game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute ... We're offering AI Engineer Internships in regions across the globe to help drive that shift ...

Full-Stack Engineer

Los Angeles, CA ยท On-site

$123.03 - $157.21/hr

ABOUT YOU We are looking for a Full-Stack Engineer who is curious, detail-oriented, and ... game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute ...

New

... game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute ... game developers to reach more players and grow their businesses around the world. For more ...

... game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute ... game developers to reach more players and grow their businesses around the world. For more ...

ABOUT US Xsolla is a global commerce company with robust tools and services to help developers solve the inherent challenges of the video game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with ...

ABOUT US Xsolla is a global commerce company with robust tools and services to help developers solve the inherent challenges of the video game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with ...

Chief of Staff

Los Angeles, CA ยท On-site

$123K - $160K/yr

ABOUT US Xsolla is a global commerce company with robust tools and services to help developers solve the inherent challenges of the video game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with ...

Chief of Staff

Los Angeles, CA ยท On-site

$123.90 - $160/hr

ABOUT US Xsolla is a global commerce company with robust tools and services to help developers solve the inherent challenges of the video game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with ...

Staff Product Manager, Unity AI

Mountain View, CA ยท On-site +1

$157K - $205K/yr

Partner with engineering, design, and ML teams to design and deliver agentic AI-powered workflows ... The top mobile games in the world, the most played PC indie titles, the most innovative console ...

Showing results 41-60

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 Sep 3, 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 is an indie game developer?

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 skills and qualifications are needed to be an indie game developer?

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 challenges do indie game developers face 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 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:

Infographic showing various Indie Game Developer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 70% Full Time, 22% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 7% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $107,050 per year, or $51.5 per hour.

Business Development

Sideglobal

San Francisco, CA โ€ข On-site

$80 - $120/hr

Other

Posted 2 days ago

New


Job description

We're looking for a Business Development Manager to drive growth for our Player Support and Quality Assurance divisions and broader co-development services across the San Francisco Bay Area and wider North American market. This role focuses on expanding partnerships and revenue primarily across our player support and QA capabilities, while also touching on our full suite of game production services including Game Development, Art Production, Localization, Localization QA, Game Audio, Datasets, and IT services โ€” serving console, PC, and mobile game developers, depending on end client needs.

Youโ€™ll be the face of our Bay Area presence, building relationships, creating proposals, and developing new business opportunities with both domestic and international clients across the full game production lifecycle.

This position is ideal for someone who combines commercial acumen with a deep understanding of player support operations and quality assurance, alongside the wider co-development landscape.

Sales & Account Growth Lead business development for player support and QA services โ€” including live operations support, helpdesk solutions, functional testing, compliance, and certification โ€” alongside our co-development capabilities spanning Game Development, Art Production, Game Audio, Localization, Localization QA, Datasets, and IT. Build and maintain relationships with producers, QA leads, operations managers, and development leads across major and indie studios โ€” identifying opportunities to expand engagement beyond player support and QA into broader production partnerships.

Market Development Identify new opportunities by tracking emerging trends in live service operations, quality assurance, player experience, and game production pipelines. Expand our client base across the Bay Area and into key global markets, positioning our studio as a full-service partner for game developers at every stage of production.

Client Consultation Conduct detailed discovery sessions to understand project needs, scope player support, testing, and operational requirements, and develop tailored proposals. Where relevant, surface opportunities to support clients with complementary co-development services โ€” from art production and game audio to localization and IT โ€” ensuring they understand the full value of our capabilities.

Collaboration Partner with our player support, QA, co-development, and global BD teams to deliver cohesive, integrated client solutions that draw on the breadth of our service offering.

Strategic Planning Develop go-to-market strategies for new services and technologies across player support, QA, and co-development verticals. Provide feedback to internal teams to enhance offerings and competitiveness in the Bay Area and global markets.

Performance Management Own your revenue targets across all service lines, manage forecasting, and maintain an active CRM pipeline reflecting opportunities in player support, QA, co-development, localization, and beyond.

  • 5+ years of experience in business development, sales, or operations within the games or entertainment industry (preferably player support, quality assurance, live operations, co-development services, or localization)
  • Proven track record of managing client relationships and closing deals in creative or technical service environments
  • Strong understanding of player support operations and QA workflows โ€” from ticketing systems and helpdesk management through to functional testing, compliance, and certification pipelines
  • Familiarity with game co-development services and production workflows across disciplines such as art, localization, game audio, and IT
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
  • Proficiency with CRM tools and MS Office/Google Workspace
  • Self-driven, organised, and comfortable managing projects end-to-end
  • Passion for video games and player experience
Preferred but not essential
  • Existing network of contacts among QA leads, operations managers, producers, or game developers in the Bay Area and abroad
  • Experience working in or selling to AAA, AA, or mobile game studios
  • Background in player support operations, QA management, live service, or post-production coordination
  • Exposure to selling or delivering services across multiple disciplines (e.g. player support + QA, localization + QA, art + game audio)
  • Familiarity with player support platforms and QA tooling (e.g. Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, JIRA, or similar)
  • Competitive basic salary
  • Working with people creating cutting edge interactive entertainment
  • Excellent OTE with % based commission package
  • Group pension scheme and death in service benefit
  • Dynamic and entrepreneurial culture
  • Video games focused environment
  • The opportunity to work with video games pioneers creating cutting edge interactive entertainment
#J-18808-Ljbffr