Video Game Programming Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Team Name:
Job Title:
Senior Gameplay Engineer, Missions
Requisition ID:
R027632
Job Description:
Your Mission
At Blizzard, we craft genre-defining games and legendary worlds for all to share. Through unparalleled creativity and storytelling, we create immersive universes and iconic characters that are beloved across platforms, borders, and generations.
We are looking for a Senior Gameplay Engineer, Missions to help craft a new, unannounced game for Blizzard. As a key member of the development team, you will be responsible for delivering gameplay systems that support high-quality mission experiences in collaboration with Design, Art, and Production. You are comfortable operating in a dynamic environment, navigating fluid deadlines and changing priorities with purpose.
This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work from home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA.
Responsibilities
Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and maintain gameplay systems that support mission-based experiences.
• Collaborate with designers, artists, and engineers to deliver engaging and responsive gameplay features.
• Develop scalable systems that support mission scripting, logic, and player interactions.
• Optimize gameplay systems for performance, reliability, and maintainability across platforms.
• Identify technical risks and drive solutions to complex gameplay challenges.
• Partner with cross-disciplinary teams to align on priorities, requirements, and delivery timelines.
• Contribute to tools and workflows that improve iteration speed and development efficiency.
• Mentor engineers and support knowledge sharing across the team.
• Communicate technical direction, tradeoffs, and status updates to stakeholders and leadership.

Minimum Requirements
Experience

• 8+ years of professional experience in game development with a focus on gameplay engineering.
• Experience contributing to shipped titles with mission-based or gameplay system features.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating across Design, Art, and Production in a cross-functional environment.
• Experience developing gameplay systems in a AAA game engine.
• Experience owning features or systems from concept through implementation and iteration.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong proficiency in C++ or other game programming languages.
• Understanding of gameplay system architecture, mission scripting, and event-driven systems.
• Experience optimizing gameplay systems for performance across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to navigate complex technical challenges.
• Effective communication skills with the ability to collaborate across disciplines.
• Experience working with debugging, profiling, and development tools.

Key Attributes

• A collaborative, team-oriented approach to game development.
• A proactive mindset with strong ownership and accountability.
• The ability to operate independently and drive solutions in ambiguous situations.
• A passion for creating engaging gameplay experiences for players.

Extra Points

• Experience building mission or quest systems in a large-scale game environment.
• Familiarity with Blizzard-style gameplay polish and player experience expectations.
• Experience contributing to live game updates or post-launch content.
• Passion for Blizzard games and understanding of player expectations.

Your Platform
Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry's most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.
Our World
Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!
Our ability to build immersive and innovative worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered!
The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.
We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.
We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.
Rewards
We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.
In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $101,000.00 - $186,754.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role's range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.