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Trading Card Game Design Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Magic City Collectibles

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Retail Store Manager - Sports & Trading Cards

Homewood, AL · On-site

$40K - $80K/yr

This position is responsible for leading our team, ensuring an exceptional customer experience, and supporting the continued growth of one of Alabama's premier sports card and trading card game ...

Fanatics

Lead Producer - TCG

Seattle, WA · On-site

... trading card game business. This role is responsible for driving execution on high-priority ... design, art, product, brand, licensing, and operations--ensuring alignment at all levels • ...

Asmodee

Director, Trading Card Games

Roseville, MN · On-site +1

... design teams and visual teams, all focused on the specific product type. The Director will ensure ... Manage the profit and loss for game lines within their vertical, with support from the VP, Trading ...

Spin Master

Game Developer

New York, NY · On-site

$38 - $40/hr

Proven track record in tabletop game development, set design, or technical editing within trading card games or systems-heavy board games. * Profound structural understanding of physical trading card ...

Fanatics Collectibles

Lead Producer - TCG

Seattle, WA · On-site

About the Team Fanatics TCG is a new trading card game business, the newest member of the Fanatics ... Drive cross-functional execution across game design, art, product, brand, licensing, and operations ...

Magic City Collectibles

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Pokémon/TCG Specialist

Homewood, AL · On-site

$10 - $50/hr

TCG Specialist- Full-Time Do you live and breathe Pokémon, One Piece, Magic, Lorcana, or other trading card games? We're looking for someone who can help grow our TCG community through product ...

Fanatics Collectibles

Business Strategist

Seattle, WA · On-site

$123K - $154K/yr

About the Team Fanatics TCG is a new Seattle-based trading card game studio within the Fanatics ... Partner with game design, product, and commercial teams to ensure strategic analysis is grounded in ...

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Trading Card Game Design information

See salary details

$79.5K

$130.8K

$196K

How much do trading card game design jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for trading card game design 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 is the difference between Trading Card Game Design vs Board Game Design?

AspectTrading Card Game DesignBoard Game Design
CredentialsDesign experience, knowledge of card mechanics, game theoryGame mechanics, prototyping, user experience
Work EnvironmentDigital and physical card development, collaboration with artists and publishersPhysical prototypes, playtesting, manufacturing coordination
Industry UsageCollectible card games, gaming publishers, hobby storesTabletop gaming, toy companies, hobby markets

Trading Card Game Design and Board Game Design share overlapping skills like game mechanics and prototyping, but differ mainly in their focus on card-based versus physical board experiences. While both roles involve creativity and playtesting, TCG designers often work more with digital assets and collectible elements, whereas board game designers focus on physical components and player interaction. Understanding these differences helps in choosing the right career path within the gaming industry.

What is trading card game design?

Trading card game design is the process of creating the rules, mechanics, cards, and overall structure of a collectible or trading card game (TCG). Designers develop the gameplay experience, balancing strategy, randomness, and player interaction. They also work on themes, artwork, and expansions to keep the game engaging and fresh. Successful trading card game design requires creativity, playtesting, and a deep understanding of what makes games fun and replayable.

What are some common challenges faced by trading card game designers during the playtesting phase?

Trading card game designers often encounter challenges in balancing the gameplay and ensuring that no single card or strategy dominates the game. Playtesting requires designers to collect and analyze feedback from a diverse group of players, which can reveal unforeseen interactions or exploits. Additionally, designers must iterate quickly and thoughtfully, adjusting card mechanics and rules while maintaining the overall vision of the game. Collaboration with artists, developers, and marketing teams is also crucial to align the game's mechanics with its thematic and commercial goals.

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

A Trading Card Game Designer needs strong game design principles, mathematical and probability skills, and a creative understanding of gameplay balance, often supported by a background in game design or related fields. Familiarity with digital prototyping tools, playtesting platforms, and knowledge of industry-standard design software is highly beneficial. Excellent communication, collaboration, and iterative problem-solving abilities set top designers apart in this role. These skills are crucial for creating engaging, balanced, and commercially successful card games that appeal to diverse player communities.
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What cities are hiring for Trading Card Game Design jobs? Cities with the most Trading Card Game Design job openings:
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Trading Card Game Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Trading Card Game Design job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 62% Full Time, 33% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 92% In-person, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $130,762 per year, or $62.9 per hour.

VP, Publishing - Trading Card Games

Fanatics Collectibles

Seattle, WA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Define the long-term go-to-market strategy for Fanatics TCG, including launch, live-support, and stewardship of games over their full lifecycle.

  • Own the strategic direction of organized play across the portfolio, including event structure, judge programs, prize support philosophy, and balancing competitive and casual play.

  • Architect and scale the player-facing digital ecosystem, including companion apps, deckbuilders, collection tools, rules references, and play clients.

Job description

About Us
Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.
About the Team
Fanatics TCG is a new Seattle-based trading card game studio within the Fanatics Collectibles family, founded by industry veterans with a long-term mandate: to build enduring franchises that live across tabletop, digital, community, and culture. We're looking for the most skilled and passionate talent in the games industry and beyond to help us create the best TCGs in the world.
Who We're Looking For
As the Vice President of TCG Publishing, you are responsible for building the capabilities that turn great games into lasting ecosystems: defining how Fanatics TCG launches and supports trading card games; overseeing how players interact with our games through play; and shaping the digital and community infrastructure that connects players to our games and to each other.
Responsibilities
  • Define the long-term go-to-market strategy for Fanatics TCG, including how we launch, live-support, and steward games over their full lifecycle. Your team will be responsible for release planning, set lifecycle management, and player communication cadence.
  • Own the strategic direction of organized play across the portfolio, from store-level events through regional and premier competition, including judge programs, prize support philosophy, qualification structures, and the balance between competitive and casual play that sustains long-term ecosystem health.
  • Architect and scale the player-facing digital ecosystem, including companion apps, deckbuilders, collection tools, rules references, and the play clients that extend our games beyond the table.
  • Build the player-identity and community infrastructure that connects players to us and to each other across titles: accounts, cross-title player identity, community platforms, creator and influencer programs, and the publishing voice.
  • Identify where Fanatics' existing trading-card publishing capabilities translate to TCG, and navigate the differences.
  • Align cross-functional partners across Studios, Commercial, Retail, Product, Marketing, Operations, and Finance to ensure cohesive execution.
  • Build and lead a small, senior, high-leverage team responsible for digital product, organized play, publishing operations, and community and player relations.

Qualifications
  • 12-18+ years in senior publishing, product, or operating leadership roles, ideally in TCG, gaming, or closely adjacent hobby categories. Strong publishing leaders from adjacent categories with the appetite and humility to learn TCG-specific craft fast will also be considered
  • A genuine product mind for player-facing software, not just an operational one. Holds their own with digital product leaders on roadmap, prioritization, and what makes a companion product loved versus tolerated
  • A builder and systems thinker who creates repeatable capabilities - focused on scale and sustained outcomes rather than launch by launch
  • Comfort operating in white space - defining functions that don't yet exist, drawing boundaries with peers in real time, and making calls without complete information
  • Strong commercial and analytical literacy; speaks fluently with P&L owners without owning the P&L
  • Player respect as a core operating value, with excellent instincts about what serves the player base over a ten-year horizon, and the willingness to advocate for them in rooms focused on shorter time scales

Preferred Experience
  • Senior leadership experience inside a major TCG publisher
  • Experience designing or running organized play programs at scale
  • Background in hybrid physical + digital ecosystems or marketplace businesses
  • Familiarity with licensing, IP partnerships, or entertainment ecosystems
  • Experience in high-growth consumer or digital commerce environments
  • Passion for trading card games, gaming, and fan culture

Location
All employees of Fanatics TCG are expected to be onsite in our Seattle office five days per week.
Ensure your Fanatics job offer is legitimate and don't fall victim to fraud. Fanatics never seeks payment from job applicants. Feel free to ask your recruiter for a phone call or other type of communication for interview, and ensure your communication is coming from a Fanatics email address (including @collectfanatics.com). For added security, where possible, apply through our company website at www.fanaticsinc.com/careers
The salary range represents base pay only and does not include short-term or long-term incentive compensation. This salary range is specific to Seattle and may not be applicable to other locations. When determining base pay, as part of a final compensation package, we consider several factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and training. For information about our benefits, please visit https://benefitsatfanatics.com/
Seattle Salary Range
$224,250-$286,350 USD
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