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Puzzle Games Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Director of Product, Live Services

El Segundo, CA · On-site +1

$248K - $259K/yr

Mattel Game Studios' mission is to harness the power of Mattel's iconic brands and IP to create a ... casual & puzzle tied to our IP-while coaching an in-place team (Sr. Manager of LiveOps, PM ...

Build and iterate on novel game components and reusable systems (animation/state machines, interaction systems, dialogue/tutorial systems, level/puzzle frameworks). * Collaborate closely with product ...

WWE Champions is our ultimate and unique RPG puzzle match game featuring WWE superstars and legends across mobile and PC platforms. WWE Champions is the most downloaded WWE game to date, with a ...

Craft missions that provide balanced gameplay with the player in mind, to ensure fun, engaging, and ... Experience balancing combat and puzzle within missions * Excellent communication skills with the ...

$25/hr

Complete interactive game-style tasks within SLA deadlines * Flag anomalies or edge cases and leave ... You'll complete a short puzzle-style assessment to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. If ...

$25/hr

Complete interactive game-style tasks within SLA deadlines * Flag anomalies or edge cases and leave ... You'll complete a short puzzle-style assessment to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. If ...

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Puzzle Games information

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$79.5K

$130.8K

$196K

How much do puzzle games jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for puzzle games in the United States is $130,762.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $107,000.00 and $150,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges puzzle game designers face when developing new game mechanics?

Puzzle game designers often encounter the challenge of balancing difficulty—creating puzzles that are neither too easy nor too frustrating for players. Another frequent challenge is ensuring that new mechanics feel fresh while still being intuitive for players to learn. Designers must also playtest extensively to identify unforeseen solutions or exploits and refine the game based on user feedback. Collaboration with artists, programmers, and testers is vital to ensure a cohesive and engaging player experience.

What are puzzle games?

Puzzle games are a genre of video games that challenge players to solve problems or complete tasks using logic, pattern recognition, strategy, or word completion. These games often require critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills, and can range from simple match-three games to complex brain teasers. Popular examples include Sudoku, Tetris, and crossword puzzles. Puzzle games can be played on various platforms, including mobile devices, computers, and gaming consoles. They are enjoyed by players of all ages for their engaging and mentally stimulating gameplay.

How much do puzzle testers make?

Puzzle testers typically earn between $10 and $20 per hour, depending on experience and the company. They evaluate game mechanics, difficulty, and user experience, often working flexible hours and requiring attention to detail.

What is the difference between Puzzle Games vs Game Designers?

AspectPuzzle GamesGame Designers
Required CredentialsOften no formal degree, but skills in logic, creativity, and game design toolsBachelor's or higher in game design, computer science, or related fields
Work EnvironmentIndie studios, mobile app companies, or freelance projectsGame development studios, entertainment companies, or freelance
Industry UsageDesigning and developing puzzle-based gamesCreating overall game concepts, mechanics, and user experience
Search & Comparison IntentFocus on puzzle game creation and developmentBroader game development and design roles

While puzzle games focus specifically on creating engaging puzzle experiences, game designers have a broader role in conceptualizing and designing entire games, including puzzles, storylines, and mechanics. Puzzle games are a subset within the game design industry, often requiring specialized skills in logic and problem-solving, whereas game designers oversee the overall game development process.

What job should I do if I like puzzles?

A career as a puzzle designer or game developer involves creating puzzles for video games, apps, or physical products, requiring creativity and problem-solving skills. Other related roles include cryptographer, escape room designer, or intelligence analyst, which involve analytical thinking and pattern recognition. These jobs often require strong logical skills, attention to detail, and proficiency with relevant tools or programming languages.

Can I get paid to solve puzzles?

Puzzle game jobs, such as puzzle designers or testers, often pay individuals to create, analyze, or solve puzzles as part of their role. These positions may require skills in logic, creativity, and familiarity with game development tools, and compensation varies based on experience and employer.

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

To thrive as a Puzzle Game Designer, you need a strong understanding of game mechanics, logical problem-solving, and a background in game design or computer science. Familiarity with game development engines (like Unity or Unreal), prototyping tools, and scripting languages such as C# or Python is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and strong collaboration skills help create engaging puzzles and user experiences. These skills ensure the development of compelling, balanced, and enjoyable puzzle games that resonate with players.

What puzzle game pays real money?

Some online puzzle games and mobile apps offer cash prizes or rewards for completing challenges or tournaments, but earning real money typically requires participating in legitimate platforms that facilitate cash payouts. Players should verify the platform's credibility and understand the rules, as many sites may have restrictions or require entry fees. It is important to exercise caution and research thoroughly before engaging in such opportunities.
Infographic showing various Puzzle Games job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 74% Full Time, 24% Part Time, and 2% Temporary. Highlights an 63% Physical, and 37% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $130,762 per year, or $62.9 per hour.
Director of Product, Live Services

Director of Product, Live Services

Mattel

El Segundo, CA • On-site, Remote

$248K - $259K/yr

Full-time

Posted 14 days ago


Mattel rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 24 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Company Description

CREATIVITY IS OUR SUPERPOWER. It's our heritage and it's also our future. Because we don't just make toys. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire fans, entertain audiences and develop children through play. Mattel is at its best when every member of our team feels respected, included, and heard-when everyone can show up as themselves and do their best work every day. We value and share an infinite range of ideas and voices that evolve and broaden our perspectives with a reach that extends into all our brands, partners, and suppliers.

The Team:

Mattel Game Studios' mission is to harness the power of Mattel's iconic brands and IP to create a wide variety of engaging digital games. Our team is guided by industry leaders with decades of experience in various facets of the gaming industry. We are seeking talented individuals to join us in our mission to create innovative and engaging digital experiences that resonate with our beloved brands. If you are passionate about gaming and eager to be part of a dynamic, forward-thinking team in family entertainment, this is the opportunity for you!

Job Description

The Opportunity: 

Mattel Game Studios is seeking a Director of Product, Live Services (LiveOps & Monetization) to own business outcomes for our live mobile portfolio and lead the Live Services discipline in a publisher model working with external development studios. You will set the vision and multi-quarter roadmap for LiveOps and monetization (IAP & IAA) across multiple genres-especially casual & puzzle tied to our IP-while coaching an in-place team (Sr. Manager of LiveOps, PM, Associate PM, Data Analyst) and scaling the function as our slate grows.

What Your Impact Will Be:  

  • Own outcomes & planning: Define portfolio KPIs (DAU, retention, payer conversion, ARPDAU, LTV), build/maintain revenue forecasts with Finance, and drive quarterly targets; deliver crisp weekly/quarterly readouts and action plans.
  • Set LiveOps strategy & roadmap: Craft a multi-quarter cadence of events, seasons, promotions, and content drops; translate brand/IP beats into compelling in-game moments; ensure internal PMs execute day-to-day with excellence.
  • Lead monetization (IAP & IAA): Establish pricing/offer architecture (bundles, battle passes, subscriptions), economy goals and segmentation; own ad strategy (placements, mediation/bidding, frequency controls, brand safety) and rapid experimentation.
  • Enable at scale: Prioritize and help define the Publishing Platform roadmap with partners (remote config, segmentation, in-game storefronts, experimentation, LiveOps CMS, economy dashboards, webstore) to increase velocity, quality, and personalization.
  • Partner management: Align roadmaps with external studios; set SLAs and operating rituals; ensure instrumentation, localization, test plans, canary/rollback paths, and live-site excellence.
  • Data-driven iteration: Institutionalize hypothesis-driven A/B testing and cohort analysis; rapidly iterate on event/offer design, pacing, rewards, and economy health to maximize engagement and LTV.
  • Cross-functional orchestration: Coordinate Design, Engineering/QA, Analytics, UA/CRM, Creative, and Community & Player Support so each live beat has clear briefs, assets, go-to-market, and feedback loops.
  • Quality, compliance & trust: Champion player-first, ethical monetization; uphold platform/privacy policies and brand standards; lead incident response, post-mortems, and continuous improvement.
  • Build the team & playbooks: Mentor PMs/analysts, recruit as needed, and codify runbooks, scorecards, and governance to scale Live Services across multiple titles.
Qualifications

What We're Looking For: 

  • 8-10+ years in mobile F2P Product/LiveOps, including 3-5+ years leading teams and owning business outcomes on top grossing live titles.
  • Proven wins growing revenue & retention through events, features, and economy/offer design; strong casual/puzzle experience preferred.
  • Deep fluency in F2P economies, IAP design, pricing/segmentation, and IAA fundamentals (mediation, waterfalls/bidding).
  • Analytical horsepower (experiment design, KPI storytelling; SQL familiarity a plus) and a bias for action.
  • Exceptional cross-functional communication; adept at aligning external developers and internal partners around clear goals and plans.
  • Builder's mindset: you've implemented processes, tooling, and playbooks that scaled LiveOps safely and fast.
  • Publisher experience operating with external studios across time zones.
  • Ownership or close partnership with Community & Player Support and UA/Growth.
  • Experience across multiple genres (match-3, merge, simulation, hybrid-casual).
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Exceptional documentation and organization skills.
  • A passion for gaming with a deep understanding of the gaming landscape and the game development life cycle.
  • Experience with licensed games is an advantage.

*The pay range is indicative of projected hiring range, however base pay will be determined based on a candidate's work location, skills and experience. Mattel offers competitive total pay programs, comprehensive benefits, and resources to help empower a culture where every employee can reach their full potential. 

Additional Information

Don't meet every single requirement? At Mattel, we are dedicated to an inclusive workplace and a culture of belonging. If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. Join Mattel's Talent Community and start receiving exciting updates about our company, our employees, and our culture. Also, interested in signing up for job alerts? Do so here!
How We Work:
We are a purpose driven company aiming to empower generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. We live up to our purpose employing the following behaviors:

  • We collaborate: Being a part of Mattel means being part of one team with shared values and common goals. Every person counts and working closely together always brings better results. Partnership is our process and our collective capabilities is our superpower.
  • We innovate: At Mattel we always aim to find new and better ways to create innovative products and experiences. No matter where you work in the organization, you can always make a difference and have real impact. We welcome new ideas and value new initiatives that challenge conventional thinking.
  • We execute: We are a performance-driven company. We strive for excellence and are focused on pursuing best-in-class outcomes. We believe in accountability and ownership and know that our people are at their best when they are empowered to create and deliver results.

Our Approach to Flexible Work:
We embrace a flexible work model designed to empower a culture of growth, optimism, and wellbeing, where every employee can reach their full potential. Combining purposeful in-person collaboration with flexibility, our focus is to optimize performance and drive connection for moments that matter.

Who We Are:
Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, MEGA and Polly Pocket, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world's leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

Mattel's award-winning workplace culture has been recognized by Forbes, Fast Company, Newsweek, Great Place to Work, TIME, and more.

Visit us at https://jobs.mattel.com/ and www.instagram.com/MattelCareers.
Mattel is an Equal Opportunity Employer where we want you to bring your authentic self to work every day. We welcome all job seekers, and all applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, veteran and protected veteran status, disability status, and or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment.

Videos to watch:
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