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Weekend Indie Game Developer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

We are looking for an experienced game engineer with strong C# and Unity skills. You will be ... small indie studio: close-knit, with high ownership and flexibility. You're excited about the ...

We are looking for an experienced game engineer with strong C# and Unity skills. You will be ... small indie studio: close-knit, with high ownership and flexibility. You're excited about the ...

Developer Experience Manager

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$100 - $150/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

Build relationships with developer influencers, indie game developers, and content creators who can amplify reach * Feedback Loop & Product Influence * Systematically channel developer pain points ...

Community Manager

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$70K - $80K/yr

You've worked at an indie game studio, animation collective, or startup where creators, fans, and ... Manage relationships with our alliance network of creators - from indie animators to UGC developers

You've worked at an indie game studio, animation collective, or startup where creators, fans, and ... UGC developers * Collaborate with the marketing and content teams on YouTube rollouts and go-to ...

Senior iOS Engineer, Apple Games

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$172K/yr

Join the Game Services UI team to help build the Apple Games app and the user-facing gaming ... We have an exciting roadmap supporting games ranging from mobile to indie to AAA, reaching deep ...

Senior iOS Engineer, Apple Games

Cupertino, CA

$184K - $277K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

Join the Game Services UI team to help build the Apple Games app and the user-facing gaming ... We have an exciting roadmap supporting games ranging from mobile to indie to AAA, reaching deep ...

Lead Game UX/UI Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$150K - $190K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Collaborate with game designers, artists, and engineers to ensure UI/UX meets project requirements ... Previous work on AAA titles or high-profile indie games. Description * Full-time job with benefits.

Lead Game UX/UI Designer

Santa Monica, CA

$150K - $190K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Collaborate with game designers, artists, and engineers to ensure UI/UX meets project requirements ... Previous work on AAA titles or high-profile indie games. Description * Full-time job with benefits.

Game Director (Multiplayer)

San Francisco, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... hit indie horror game "Poppy Playtime". This franchise is one of the hottest new properties in ... Art, Engineering, and Production to ensure smooth operations on a live title. Report to the GM of ...

New

Engineering Lead

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$120K - $159K/yr

Job Summary : Elsewhere is hiring an Engineering Lead to write code, build infrastructure, and ... games, even as indie or side projects. • Eagerness to share rough prototypes and in-progress ...

Game Designer, Casual F2P

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$167K/yr

Play and deeply analyze casual games across genres, Match-3, Time Management, Simulation, Indie ... Collaborate with cross-functional teams (engineering, art, QA, marketing) to ensure designs are ...

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Weekend Indie Game Developer information

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a weekend indie game developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Weekend Indie Game Developer, you need proficiency in game design, programming (commonly with engines like Unity or Unreal), and a solid understanding of gameplay mechanics, often self-taught or supported by online courses. Familiarity with development tools such as Git for version control, graphic/audio editing software, and asset marketplaces is typical. Creativity, self-motivation, and strong problem-solving skills set standout developers apart in this role. These skills and qualities are vital for efficiently creating engaging games within limited timeframes and resources, enabling continual progress despite part-time constraints.

What are some common challenges weekend indie game developers face when balancing development with other commitments?

Weekend Indie Game Developers often juggle game creation alongside full-time jobs or studies, making time management a significant challenge. Setting realistic goals, prioritizing tasks, and maintaining motivation during limited hours are essential for steady progress. Collaboration can also be tricky, as team members may have differing availability, so clear communication and the use of project management tools become vital. Despite these hurdles, the flexibility of indie development allows for creative freedom and skill growth at one's own pace.

What is a weekend indie game developer?

Weekend indie game developers are individuals who create video games independently, typically working on their projects during weekends or in their free time outside of regular employment. They often handle multiple aspects of game development, including programming, design, art, and marketing, due to limited resources. These developers are usually motivated by passion and creativity rather than commercial gain, and they may release their games on platforms like itch.io or Steam. Weekend indie developers form a vibrant part of the indie game community, contributing unique and experimental games.

What are the most commonly searched types of Indie Game Developer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Indie Game Developer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Weekend Indie Game Developer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Weekend Indie Game Developer job openings:

Game Programmer (Unity)

Spellbrush

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 20 days ago


Job description

The Unity Engineer Role:
We are looking for an experienced game engineer with strong C# and Unity skills. You will be working closely with a small, multidisciplinary team to build out our upcoming anime mobile tactics game.
Our game programmers are mostly generalists, so you can work on lots of different areas of the game. It's important that you take pride in your work and know what it means to take responsibility and deliver quality and fun to players. You are comfortable taking a feature from a vague idea on a post-it to a fully working and polished implementation.
You may be a good fit if:
You love Strategy RPGs
Our team draws tons of inspiration from titles like Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics, and X-Com. Our next title aims to bring the best of this genre onto the mobile screen.
And you also love the anime aesthetic
We're also huge anime fans if you haven't noticed.
You deeply understand Unity
We're looking for someone with 5+ years of programming experience and a high level of familiarity with Unity. A good candidate must have shipped at least one game with Unity (personal projects are great!) and have built up a sixth sense for what is the "happy path" in modern Unity development.
You're comfortable working on small, fast-paced teams
Working here will feel very much like a small indie studio: close-knit, with high ownership and flexibility.
You're excited about the potential of Generative AI
You'll also be working closely along some of the best AI researchers in the world. Part of working with our team may involve looking at our latest research results, and figuring out how to best apply it into the game. You will be at the literal cutting edge of what is possible with machine learning, art, and games.