Video Game Developer Intern Jobs in Berkeley, CA

Mob Entertainment is a startup multimedia studio that is best known for our hit indie horror game "Poppy Playtime". This franchise is one of the hottest new properties in gaming, and our team is naturally expanding as our ambition expands. To give a taste of our brand's popularity, more than 100 billion YouTube views of Poppy Playtime related content have occurred since the game's launch 4 years ago.

As Game Director you'll have an important mission: to ensure that unannounced, upcoming Mob game's multiplayer systems properly convey the creative vision and that the vision remains an integral part of the target co-op player experience. You will take ownership of this title and work with all key stakeholders to steward its vision, quality, and long-term live-service health as it scales.

You will also assist the GM of Games and CCO in reaching the strategic design and live-service objectives set out for our upcoming game by guiding conceptual and systemic decisions through Early Access and into ongoing operation. While your design leads focus on their areas of ownership, you'll pay attention to the larger picture, overseeing the game's overall outcome: progression, pace, co-op balance across party sizes, live-ops cadence, and quality. You will ensure that all elements related to design, from encounter pacing to post-launch content, work together cohesively to keep this upcoming game a rich, fun, and durable multiplayer experience.

Work with the GM of Games and CCO to ensure that design, art, and story stay true to the vision that was set out in our game design document. Define best methods for a live, in-market multiplayer title and inform all teams. Communicate quality and content expectations to the design team on a regular basis, balancing player-facing systems (enemy clarity and counterplay, objective legibility, co-op status) against production constraints so that the systems take constraints into account to ultimately create the optimum user experience for target players. Translate design and gameplay direction into specs that Level Design and Engineering can bring to life, with particular attention to cooperative multiplayer systems and balance tuning across party sizes. Harmonize design across all departments, making sure design has ready answers and Jira requests for Engineering, Art, Sound, FX, etc., so that live content and post-launch updates do not run behind schedule. Work hand in hand with other areas of the team: Art, Engineering, and Production to ensure smooth operations on a live title. Report to the GM of Games and ensure he, upper management, and the Brand Stewardship Committee are aware of the project's status on a regular basis, distinguishing incremental improvement work from major pivot proposals. Own the post-Early Access content roadmap and live-ops cadence, partnering with Production and Product on monetization design so that content plans are grounded in a realistic operating model. Build and run community and playtest feedback loops that convert player signal into a prioritized, defensible backlog, without letting the roadmap become reactive to every incoming request. Develop the creative vision for the game's ongoing content in line with the product and live-service vision.

Participate in the proposal development process for future content and features (i.e., brainstorming). Participate in project follow-up meetings at all phases (Early Access, live operations, and future content development). Write clear documentation, including required visual references

4+ years of leadership experience in the video game industry, with direct experience shipping and supporting a multiplayer or live-service title 5+ years of design experience in a lead or management role, including cooperative or competitive multiplayer systems design and balance tuning across party sizes Knowledge of Unreal Engine and how to get the absolute most out of it Experience running post-launch content roadmaps and live-ops cadences for a title with an active, in-market audience, including translating player and community feedback into a prioritized roadmap Familiarity with project management software (e.g., Jira) Exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and presentation skills Effective cross-departmental communication: you have the know-how to comfortably communicate with all disciplines (programming, art, design, marketing, community, and so on) A highly collaborative and innovative spirit, with the confidence to hold sole creative ownership of a title, including holding the line on scope with senior stakeholders when needed The ability to take technical and production feasibility into account when coming up with concepts Mentorship: you're motivated to share your expertise to guide the next generation of creatives Autonomy in using presentation and design tools (e.g., PowerPoint, Photoshop, Google Slides, etc.) A solid understanding of the co-op multiplayer and live-service market, and a (fiery) passion for video games

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Final compensation within the applicable salary range will be determined based on factors such as the applicant's experience, qualifications, and work location.

San Francisco, CA; New York City, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; Boston, MA; & DC Metropolitan Areas: $200,000$257,000 USD annually

Austin, TX; Denver, CO; Nashville, TN; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; & Miami, FL Metropolitan Areas: $174,000$223,000 USD annually

All Other U.S. Locations: $148,000$190,000 USD annually

Mob Entertainment offers the following benefits to all eligible U.S.-based full-time employees: profit sharing; medical, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) matching; FSA/HSA; paid time off; sick time; holidays; and parental leave

Mob Entertainment is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and complies with all federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability, military service, or any other protected class under applicable state or local law. Mob Entertainment also considers all qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with Fair Chance laws as well as any other applicable state and local laws.