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Lead Game Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Valicy

Senior Game Developer

Greenville, NC

Game Developer Lead Status: Exempt WHO WE ARE: We are Valicy. We play games. We also make the machines they run on. What we're building matters. How we treat people matters more. OUR MISSION: We ...

Valicy

Senior Game Developer

Wilmington, NC

Game Developer Lead Status: Exempt WHO WE ARE: We are Valicy. We play games. We also make the machines they run on. What we're building matters. How we treat people matters more. OUR MISSION: We ...

Search Solutions, LLC

iOS Game Developer

Los Angeles, CA

$55.75 - $76.75/hr

We're looking for iOS engineers to join our game studio! You will work on exciting new casual games ... Experience as a team lead preferred but not required Nice To Have * Experience with C, C+

Hasbro

Sr Game Developer - D&D

Renton, WA · Hybrid

Are you an experienced tabletop RPG designer with the demonstrated ability to lead major RPG products from inception through publication? We are seeking a Senior Game Developer to provide in-depth ...

Hasbro

Sr Game Developer - D&D

Renton, WA · On-site

$112K - $168K/yr

Are you an experienced tabletop RPG designer with the demonstrated ability to lead major RPG products from inception through publication? We are seeking a Senior Game Developer to provide in-depth ...

Bluberi

Unity Game Software Developer

Las Vegas, NV · On-site

Able to lead teams through significant change. * Shows dedication to continuous learning and ... game design, audio engineering, and quality assurance. We work in a hybrid model to ensure ...

Striking Distance Studios

Lead Gameplay Engineer

San Ramon, CA · On-site

$112K - $147K/yr

... game development. Responsibilities : • Lead a team of Gameplay Engineers to create best in class Game Modes. • Lead the overall planning, development, and execution of the game, engine and ...

ARRISE

Game Art Lead

Game artists, developers, mathematicians, sound technicians, product marketers, regulatory experts ... In this hands-on role, you'll collaborate with a small multidisciplinary team to lead the visual ...

Tencent

Lead Gameplay Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site +1

$168K - $347K/yr

S.-based, AAA game development studio for Tencent Games. Lightspeed LA is focused on building open ... Work with and lead a gameplay engineering team to craft development of innovative gameplay content ...

LightSpeed Studios

Lead Gameplay Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site +1

$168K - $347K/yr

S.-based, AAA game development studio for Tencent Games. Lightspeed LA is focused on building open ... Work with and lead a gameplay engineering team to craft development of innovative gameplay content ...

Absurd Ventures

Lead Game UX/UI Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$150K - $190K/yr

As the Lead Game UI/UX Designer, you will be responsible for creating intuitive and visually ... Collaborate with game designers, artists, and engineers to ensure UI/UX meets project requirements.

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How much do lead game developer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 29, 2026, the average hourly pay for lead game developer in the United States is $64.33, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $56.73 and $74.28 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are Lead Game Developers?

Lead Game Developers are experienced professionals who oversee the development of video games, managing both the technical and creative aspects of projects. They coordinate teams of programmers, artists, designers, and other developers to ensure that the game is completed on time and meets quality standards. Their responsibilities often include project planning, task delegation, problem-solving, and serving as the primary point of contact between team members and upper management. Lead Game Developers need strong leadership, communication, and technical skills to guide their teams through complex development cycles.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Lead Game Developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Lead Game Developer, you need advanced programming skills, deep knowledge of game design principles, and experience managing development teams, typically supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, source control systems, and possibly certifications in project management are highly valuable. Exceptional leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities distinguish top performers in this role. These skills ensure cohesive team collaboration, efficient project delivery, and the creation of high-quality, engaging games.

How does a Lead Game Developer typically collaborate with other departments during a project's lifecycle?

A Lead Game Developer works closely with artists, designers, producers, and quality assurance teams to ensure that the game's vision is executed consistently across all departments. They often facilitate regular meetings to align technical goals with creative direction, resolve cross-functional challenges, and communicate project updates. Effective collaboration involves balancing technical feasibility with creative ideas, making compromises when needed, and ensuring that the team stays on schedule. This role requires strong interpersonal skills and the ability to translate between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
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What cities are hiring for Lead Game Developer jobs? Cities with the most Lead Game Developer job openings:
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Lead Game Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Lead Game Developer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 83% Full Time, 3% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 13% Contract. Highlights an 80% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $133,813 per year, or $64.3 per hour.

Senior Game Developer

Valicy

Greenville, NC

Full-time

Re-posted 5 days ago

Job description

Job Title: Senior Game Developer
Location: Greenville, NC
Department: NC Game Development
Reports To: Game Developer Lead
Status: Exempt
WHO WE ARE:
We are Valicy.
We play games. We also make the machines they run on. What we're building matters. How we treat people matters more.
OUR MISSION:
We exist to create excellent gaming experiences, treat our customers the way we want to be treated, and positively impact people's lives through a culture of care.
Seven values guide how we work. We call it our FIGHTER mindset:
Fun: Enjoy the journey together
Innovative: Consistently pushing new boundaries through creativity
Growth: Committed to growing personally and professionally
Humble amp; Passionate: It’s important to be both
Teamwork: Built on trust, healthy conflict, commitment, accountability, and results
Excellence: Pursuing high standards in everything we do
Relational: Building trust and relationships with customers and teammates
If this is the kind of place you've been looking for, let's talk.
SUMMARY:
The Senior Game Developer is responsible for building high-quality casino games in Unity/C# from initial setup through release. This is a hands-on individual contributor role for an experienced developer who can own a game’s implementation, make sound technical decisions, and deliver reliable, maintainable work with minimal oversight.
Senior Game Developers at Valicy are expected to operate with strong ownership, technical judgment, and follow-through. You will work closely with designers, artists, audio, QA, developer leads, and other developers to turn game concepts and design direction into polished, performant, production-ready games.
This role is primarily focused on new casino game development, with support for skill games, conversions, maintenance, and existing product needs as required. Our development model gives individual developers meaningful ownership of their assigned games while still working inside a collaborative team structure. You will be expected to lead the implementation of your game, contribute to code reviews, support other developers when needed, and help raise the overall quality and consistency of the team as we grow.
QUALIFICATIONS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Understand company Mission, Vision, and Values and be an ambassador of MVV.
- Own the technical implementation of assigned casino games from initial setup through release.
- Develop gameplay features, UI behavior, game flow, supporting systems, asset integrations, implement animations, and set up animators using Unity and C#.
- Translate game design documents, creative direction, and cross-functional feedback into clean, functional, and engaging gameplay.
- Make practical technical decisions that balance quality, speed, maintainability, performance, and project needs.
- Work with leads and other developers to review technical approaches, architecture decisions, and implementation plans.
- Participate actively in pull requests and code reviews, providing clear, constructive feedback to help improve code quality across the team.
- Debug, maintain, and improve existing games, including legacy products, conversions, and post-release support needs.
- Identify technical risks, unclear requirements, and implementation concerns early, then communicate them clearly with leads, managers, and cross-functional partners.
- Collaborate with designers, artists, audio, QA, and other developers to resolve issues and improve game quality.
- Support junior and mid-level developers through technical feedback, debugging assistance, and implementation guidance as needed.
- Contribute to shared standards, reusable patterns, and process improvements that help the team scale effectively.
- Build or improve internal tools, workflows, or reusable systems when they create clear value for current or future development.
REQUIREMENTS:
- 8+ years of Unity and C# Game Development experience
- Strong C# programming skills, including the ability to write clean, maintainable, readable, and reliable production code.
- Experience owning substantial features, systems, or products from implementation through completion.
- Strong Unity implementation skills, including working with scenes, prefabs, UI, animation, assets, and gameplay behavior.
- Solid understanding of gameplay systems, object-oriented programming, and practical software architecture.
- Strong debugging skills and the ability to investigate unfamiliar systems, identify root causes, and resolve issues effectively.
- Practical understanding of Unity performance considerations and common optimization techniques. · Experience using Git or similar source control in a professional development environment.
- Ability to work well in a collaborative, cross-disciplinary team environment.
- Strong ownership mentality with the ability to follow through on commitments and take responsibility for shipped work.
- Resilience when working through changing requirements, unclear design details, legacy code, or unexpected technical challenges.
- Willingness to give and receive feedback through code reviews, technical discussion, and team collaboration.
- Clear communication skills and the ability to explain technical decisions, risks, and tradeoffs to both technical and non-technical teammates.
- Interest in helping junior and mid-level developers grow through technical support, feedback, and example-setting.
Preferred Requirements:
- Experience in the casino gaming industry or other regulated gaming environments.
- Experience building or maintaining the production of casino games, slot-style games, mobile games, or other Unity-based commercial products.
- Experience working on small teams where individual developers own large portions of a game or product.
- Experience with DOTween, Visual Studio, Azure DevOps, SQL, profiling tools, or similar development tools.
- Experience creating reusable systems, templates, tools, or workflows that improve development speed or consistency.
- Experience reviewing code and providing practical technical feedback to other developers. · Interest in AI-assisted workflows, automation, or tooling that improves developer productivity while maintaining code quality.
- Comfort working in a growing team environment where standards, processes, and technical practices continue to mature over time.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment is typical of a traditional office environment.
This Job Description is to be used as a guide for accomplishing Company objectives. The description incorporates the most typical duties performed and covers only the primary functions and responsibilities of the position. It is recognized that other related duties not specifically mentioned may also be performed.

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