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Indie Game Developer Jobs in Seattle, WA (NOW HIRING)

Senior Gaming Platform Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$139.50 - $258.10/hr

Join the Game Services Framework team to help us build the developer-facing technologies that drive ... We have an exciting roadmap of features supporting games ranging from mobile, to indie, to AAA, and ...

Join the Game Services Framework team to help us build the developer-facing technologies that drive ... We have an exciting roadmap of features supporting games ranging from mobile, to indie, to AAA, and ...

Studio Wildcard, creators of the smash indie hit ARK: Survival Evolved, was founded in 2014. ARK ... Debug and patch complex gameplay and engine-level vulnerabilities to shut down client-side exploits ...

Sr. Engine Programmer

Bellevue, WA · On-site

$150K - $200K/yr

Studio Wildcard, creators of the smash indie hit ARK: Survival Evolved, was founded in 2014. ARK ... Debug and patch complex gameplay and engine-level vulnerabilities to shut down client-side exploits ...

Studio Wildcard, creators of the smash indie hit ARK: Survival Evolved, was founded in 2014. ARK ... Debug and patch complex gameplay and engine-level vulnerabilities to shut down client-side exploits ...

Studio Wildcard, creators of the smash indie hit ARK: Survival Evolved, was founded in 2014. ARK ... What other games are you currently playing About The Studio Studio Wildcard was founded in 2014 by ...

Studio Wildcard, creators of the smash indie hit ARK: Survival Evolved, was founded in 2014. ARK ... What other games are you currently playing About The Studio Studio Wildcard was founded in 2014 by ...

Studio Wildcard, creators of the smash indie hit ARK: Survival Evolved, was founded in 2014. ARK ... What other games are you currently playing About The Studio Studio Wildcard was founded in 2014 by ...

Studio Wildcard, creators of the smash indie hit ARK: Survival Evolved, was founded in 2014. ARK ... edge of game development, wrestling with core rendering systems, massive hardware budgets, and ...

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Indie Game Developer information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$37K

$123.4K

$204.8K

How much do indie game developer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for indie game developer in Seattle, WA is $123,443.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $92,700.00 and $141,100.00 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 Seattle, WA?

The most popular types of Indie Game Developer jobs in Seattle, WA are:

What job categories do people searching Indie Game Developer jobs in Seattle, WA look for?

The top searched job categories for Indie Game Developer jobs in Seattle, WA are:

What cities near Seattle, WA are hiring for Indie Game Developer jobs?

Cities near Seattle, WA with the most Indie Game Developer job openings:

Infographic showing various Indie Game Developer job openings in Seattle, WA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 82% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 14% Contract. Highlights an 83% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 12% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $123,443 per year, or $59.3 per hour.

Senior Gaming Platform Engineer

Apple Inc.

Seattle, WA • On-site

$139.50 - $258.10/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Retirement

Re-posted 20 days ago


Apple rating

8.0

Company rating: 8.0 out of 10

Based on 677 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7th of 30 rated technology retailers


Job description

Seattle, Washington, United States Software and Services

Apple Games is the home of gaming on Apple’s platforms, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Vision Pro. Join the Game Services Framework team to help us build the developer-facing technologies that drive discovery, engagement, and connectivity for games in the Apple ecosystem. We have an exciting roadmap of features supporting games ranging from mobile, to indie, to AAA, and interacting with a wide variety of operating system areas. Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple Books, and the App Store. Our products operate at a massive scale, meeting Apple’s high expectations with high performance to deliver a huge variety of entertainment to more than 150 countries in over 35 languages. The engineers on our team build secure, end-to-end solutions. We develop the custom software used to process all the creative work, the tools that providers use to deliver media, all the server-side systems, and the APIs for many Apple services. We use those systems to build out delightful and easy-to-use customer experiences for our media services. Thanks to Apple’s unique integration of hardware, software, and services, engineers here partner to get behind a single unified vision. That vision always includes a deep commitment to strengthening Apple’s privacy policy, one of Apple’s core values. Although services are a bigger part of Apple’s business than ever before, these teams remain small, nimble, and multi-functional, offering greater exposure to the array of opportunities here.

Description

As a Senior Gaming Platform Engineer on the Apple Games Frameworks team, you will own and evolve the critical infrastructure that connects game developers to the full capabilities of Apple's devices and services. Your mission is to unlock the unique features of Apple platforms—from advanced graphics and spatial computing to social gaming services—making them accessible to developers across diverse game engines and development environments. Your primary focus will be maintaining and expanding Apple's open source Unity plugins while building the next generation of tooling and frameworks that will make a broader range of Apple technologies available to Unity developers and extend our reach to additional game engines and development environments. You'll be responsible for designing and implementing cross-platform bridging solutions, automated C#/Swift interoperability systems that eliminate manual binding code, and developer tools that reduce integration complexity for game developers. Your work will directly impact thousands of developers and millions of players, enabling richer gaming experiences that take full advantage of what makes Apple platforms special. This role requires deep technical knowledge of game development platforms, runtime systems, and cross-platform integration challenges, particularly in Windows-based development environments where most game developers operate.

Minimum Qualifications
  • 5+ years of experience with multi-platform systems programming and API development
  • Strong proficiency in C/C++ programming (essential for game engine integration)
  • Experience with C# or Objective-C/Swift, with willingness to learn and work across both ecosystems
  • Strong knowledge of memory management, runtime systems, and platform-specific integration challenges
  • Proficiency with Windows development environments and toolchains used by game developers
  • Experience with cross-language integration, data marshalling, or native API binding challenges
  • Understanding of game engine architectures and plugin development patterns
  • Experience maintaining open source projects and working with developer communities
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience
Preferred Qualifications
  • Unity Engine plugin development experience and familiarity with Unity's native plugin architecture
  • C# and .NET/Mono runtime experience
  • Swift, Objective-C, or other Apple platform development experience
  • Experience with other game engines (Unreal, Godot, etc.) and their plugin systems
  • Background in compiler toolchains, code generation, or language runtime implementation
  • Client/server networking and multiplayer game development experience
  • Previous experience building developer tools or SDKs at scale

At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $139,500 and $258,100, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.

Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits

Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.

Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant.

At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.

Learn about accessibility in Apple’s workplace.

Learn about reasonable accommodations for job applicants.

Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.

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About Apple

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Imagine what you could do here! At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Dynamic, intelligent people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with all Apple Hardware products. The same real passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices strengthening our dedication to leave the world better than we found it.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Cupertino, CA, US

Year founded

1976