Summaryย
We are seeking a Principal / Leadย Gameplay Designerย toย ownย the design andย implementation ofย compellingย 3 C's gameplay.ย This person willย work closely with design leadership, animators, engineers, and artists to deliver world-class moment-to-momentย gameplayย and player feel.ย
Core Responsibilitiesย
- Own and drive implementation of all moment-to-moment player-feel gameplay in alignment with direction from a senior leadership team.ย
- Developย engagingย combat mechanics, including player abilities, enemy behaviors, AI tactics, weapons, and camera systems.ย
- Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to prototype, iterate, and polish combat features from concept through ship.ย
- Author andย maintainย design documentation, ensuring clarity and alignment across departments.ย
- Analyze playtest data and player feedback to continuously refine and balance combat systems.ย
- Own combat encounters and pacing in collaboration with level and narrative design teams.ย
- Establish metrics and best practices forย environmentย andย encounterย design to supportย optimalย gameplay.ย
- Mentor junior designers and contribute to the evolution of team processes and best practices.ย
- Maintainย high standardsย for quality, responsiveness, and fun across all combat elements.ย
Core Qualificationsย
- 5+ years of experience in game design with at least 2 shipped titles, including one in a senior or lead role focused on combat.ย
- Deep understanding of player mechanics, animation-driven gameplay, enemy design, and AI behavior.ย
- High technicalย proficiencyย withย Unreal Engineย 5.0ย and its suite of combat, AI, and animation systems tools.ย
- Strong prototyping skills with scripting languages or visual scripting systems (e.g., Blueprint, Lua, etc.).ย
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and documentation skills.ย
- Passion for creating satisfying, intuitive, and deep combat systems across various player archetypes.ย
Plus If...ย
- Experience designing melee combat systems, ranged combat, or hybrid mechanics.ย
- Background working on open-world or sandbox games.ย
- Experience planning playerย skillย and progression systems.ย
- Knowledge of cinematic combat presentation and camera work.ย
- Experience working with motion capture and/or animation pipelines.ย
Descriptionย
- Full-time job with benefits.ย
- Role is on-site in Santa Monica, CA.ย
- Office isย locatedย near downtown Santa Monica - near metro and freeway.ย
The base pay range for this position is $145,000 to $180,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We also offer a competitive package of benefits including vacation time, sick time, company holidays, parental leave, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k)ย matchingย toย regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.ย