ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Indie Game Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Absurd Ventures

Lead Game UX/UI Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$150K - $190K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

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.

Absurd Ventures

Lead Game UX/UI Designer

Santa Monica, CA

$150K - $190K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

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.

Ziff Davis

Business Developer (Tabletop Role-Playing Games)

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

Identify, prospect, and establish new business relationships with top publishers, indie creators ... You can speak fluently about key publishers, creators, diverse game systems, and the modern digital ...

Onward Search

Creative / Game Recruiter

Fairfield, CT · Remote

$65K/mo

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... Indie studios, game genres (Action, RPG, Shooter, Mobile, Live Service), and common game development terminology such as Gameplay Programming, Game Design, Unreal Engine, Unity, Production, QA, and ...

Onward Search

Creative / Game Recruiter

Fairfield, CT · Remote

$50K - $65K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... Indie studios, game genres (Action, RPG, Shooter, Mobile, Live Service), and common game development terminology such as Gameplay Programming, Game Design, Unreal Engine, Unity, Production, QA, and ...

Onward Search

Creative / Game Recruiter

Fairfield, CT · Remote

$50K - $65K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... Indie studios, game genres (Action, RPG, Shooter, Mobile, Live Service), and common game development terminology such as Gameplay Programming, Game Design, Unreal Engine, Unity, Production, QA, and ...

Onward Search

Creative / Game Recruiter

Fairfield, CT · On-site

$50K - $65K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... Indie studios, game genres (Action, RPG, Shooter, Mobile, Live Service), and common game development terminology such as Gameplay Programming, Game Design, Unreal Engine, Unity, Production, QA, and ...

Mob Entertainment

Game Director (Multiplayer)

Dallas, TX · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... hit indie horror game "Poppy Playtime". This franchise is one of the hottest new properties in ... Art, Engineering, and Production to ensure smooth operations on a live title. Report to the GM of ...

Elsewhere

Engineering Lead

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$120K - $159K/yr

Job Summary : Elsewhere is hiring an Engineering Lead to write code, build infrastructure, and ... games, even as indie or side projects. • Eagerness to share rough prototypes and in-progress ...

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 ...

previous pagenext page

Showing results 21-40

All JobsIndie Game Developer Jobs

Indie Game Developer information

See salary details

$32.5K

$108.5K

$180K

How much do indie game developer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for indie game developer in the United States is $108,471.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $81,500.00 and $124,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 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.

How do I become an indie game developer?

To become an indie game developer, you should learn programming languages such as C# or C++, gain experience with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, and develop a portfolio of completed projects. Building skills in game design, art, and sound can also improve your chances of success in creating and publishing independent games.

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.

More about Indie Game Developer jobs

What cities are hiring for Indie Game Developer jobs?

Cities with the most Indie Game Developer job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Indie Game Developer jobs?

The most popular types of Indie Game Developer jobs are:

What states have the most Indie Game Developer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Indie Game Developer jobs include:

What job categories do people searching Indie Game Developer jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Indie Game Developer jobs are:

Indie Game Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Indie Game Developer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $108,471 per year, or $52.1 per hour.

Principal Gameplay Engineer - Unity

Tolan

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$200K - $300K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 24 days ago

Job description

Tolan is an Embodied Companion - a cute AI alien you talk with naturally, like a friend. Tolans have their own personality and preferences, and over time form memories about you, your life, and your shared friendship.
We're an experienced team that previously founded Even, acquired for $300M in 2022. Tolan is backed by the designers and founders behind Instagram, Retro, Behance, Vimeo, and Notion. Our team works hard, with an emphasis on autonomy and ownership. We're building together in-person in downtown SF.
The Role
We're hiring a Principal Gameplay Engineer to define and own the core interactions of the Tolan world and the moment-to-moment "juice" that makes the app feel alive. You'll obsess over the stuff users notice instantly (even if they can't name it): snappy easing, micro-animations, secondary motion, haptics, camera shake, VFX, anticipation/overshoot, responsive UI motion - think "game feel" in the Super Meat Boy/Balatro/Hades sense: tight, expressive, and beautiful. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with Product and Creative, turning rough ideas into playable prototypes and putting them in front of people constantly.
What You'll Do
  • Rapidly develop prototypes of new features, iterate quickly, and ship to users.
  • Own "feel" across everything 3D - including character interactions, navigation, and world moments.
  • Add impact and delight with tiny details that make everything feel reactive and alive.
  • Collaborate tightly with Product, Design, and Creative to translate "vibes" into concrete behaviors and tuning knobs.
  • Create juicy systems that can be quickly and easily deployed across multiple areas of the app.
Who We're Looking For
  • Indie feel. You've shipped experiences where the magic comes from timing, simplicity, and cohesion.
  • Unity or Unreal fluency. You're comfortable working in either engine at a high level.
  • Hands-on systems thinker. You prefer being a hands-on developer who can think systemically while nailing the details.
  • Polish obsessed. You love spending time on timing curves, easing, responsiveness, visual feedback, and tactile feel.
  • Prototype pusher. You can take a rough prototype and push it to "wow" through iteration and tasteful restraint.
  • Tight feedback loops. You're energized by showing prototypes early and often.
Bonus points if you:
  • Have experience with procedural animation and physics-based motion.
  • Have a strong eye for VFX/UI motion and can make things feel premium without being noisy.
  • Enjoy working in stylized worlds where personality beats realism.
  • Have built or tuned character controllers, interaction systems, or expressive character behaviors.

Compensation: $200,000-300,000 base salary + equity + benefits

Apply