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Trading Card Game Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Game Designer - TCG

Seattle, WA

$176K/yr

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 ...

Game Designer - TCG

Seattle, WA · On-site

$98K - $123K/yr

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 ...

$140 - $230/hr

Build and lead a full-scale Trading Card Game (TCG) division with global ambition, including managing booster economics, rarity psychology, organized play, and a competitive ecosystem. About MGA ...

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How much do trading card game jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 23, 2026, the average hourly pay for trading card game in the United States is $15.27, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $13.46 and $18.27 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a trading card game?

A Trading Card Game (TCG) job involves working in various aspects of collectible card games, such as game design, development, marketing, sales, or organized play. Responsibilities may include designing new cards, balancing gameplay mechanics, managing product distribution, or engaging with the player community. Professionals in this field often work for TCG publishers or gaming companies, helping to expand and support the game. Roles can range from graphic design and content creation to tournament organization and customer engagement.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the trading card game position, and why are they important?

To thrive in a Trading Card Game Development or Design role, you need a deep understanding of game mechanics, mathematics, and probability, often supported by experience in game design and a relevant degree such as in game development or graphic design. Familiarity with design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite) and playtesting tools, as well as knowledge of digital asset management systems, is typically required. Strong creativity, communication, and collaboration skills are essential for working with cross-functional teams and incorporating feedback. These abilities ensure compelling, balanced, and engaging card game experiences that succeed in a competitive market.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in trading card game development and design?

Professionals in trading card game development often face the challenge of balancing gameplay to keep it fair and enjoyable for both new and experienced players. Constantly innovating while maintaining the core appeal of the game requires creativity, strategic thinking, and adaptability. Tight deadlines, frequent playtesting, and incorporating feedback from various stakeholders can also be demanding. However, these challenges also make the role dynamic and rewarding for those who enjoy problem-solving and teamwork in a creative environment.

More about trading card game jobs

What cities are hiring for Trading Card Game jobs?

Cities with the most Trading Card Game job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Trading Card Game jobs?

The most popular types of Trading Card Game jobs are:

What states have the most Trading Card Game jobs?

States with the most job openings for Trading Card Game jobs include:

Infographic showing various Trading Card Game job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 25% Full Time, and 75% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $31,769 per year, or $15.3 per hour.

Narrative Designer - Trading Card Game

Fanatics Collectibles

Seattle, WA

$176K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 14 days ago


Job description

About the Company

Fanatics Collectibles is a new company operating at the intersection of collectibles, culture, and technology. Backed by world-class investors, operators, and sports & entertainment partners, we are building the global leader in next-generation collectibles. As part of the broader Fanatics ecosystem, we leverage a digital sports platform that spans over 900 sports properties and engages more than 81 million fans. Together, we are reimagining every part of the collectibles experience for fans, partners, and creators.

Role Overview

Fanatics Collectibles is building the future of trading card games.

The Fanatics TCG studio is focused on creating original worlds that are designed to live for decades - expressed through gameplay, art, story, and collectible objects. Our ambition is to build franchises that are not only widely played, but deeply felt.

We are seeking a Narrative Designer to help shape the worlds, characters, and stories that define our games.

This is not a role focused solely on writing text. It is a role about building worlds - establishing the underlying logic, tone, and emotional core of new universes, and ensuring that every part of the player experience reflects that foundation.

You will work closely with Creative, Game Design, and Art to develop narrative systems that live inside the cards themselves - where mechanics, visuals, and story reinforce one another.

The ideal candidate brings strong storytelling instincts, a systems mindset, and a passion for creating worlds that players want to return to again and again.

What You'll Do

Build Worlds That Can Sustain a Franchise

  • Develop the foundational lore, cosmology, and narrative structure of new TCG worlds. 
  • Define factions, cultures, characters, and conflicts that can evolve over many sets and years. 
  • Help establish the tone, themes, and emotional identity of each franchise. 

Integrate Story with Game and Product

  • Partner with Game Design to ensure that mechanics and narrative reinforce each other
  • Collaborate with Art and Creative teams to align on visual storytelling and world cohesion
  • Contribute to the development of set themes, narrative arcs, and character moments

Design Narrative Systems for Cards

  • Develop approaches for how story is expressed through card names, flavor text, mechanics, and set structure
  • Ensure that narrative is discoverable through play and collection, not just external content. 
  • Help define how narrative evolves across releases and expansions. 

Create and Support Narrative Content

  • Write flavor text, card names, and supporting narrative content
  • Contribute to world guides, story bibles, and internal documentation. 
  • Support external storytelling efforts (e.g., web content, marketing beats, potential media extensions). 

Collaborate Across the Studio

  • Work closely with Creative, Design, Product, and Marketing teams to ensure narrative consistency. 
  • Participate in early ideation, helping shape concepts before they become fully defined. 
  • Provide feedback that elevates the coherence and emotional impact of the world. 

What You Bring

  • 3+ years of experience in narrative design, writing, or worldbuilding for games, publishing, or related media. 
  • Strong ability to develop original worlds, characters, and narrative frameworks
  • Experience working in collaborative, cross-functional environments
  • Ability to balance creative vision with system constraints
  • Excellent writing skills across both short-form (e.g., flavor text) and long-form (e.g., lore, story guides)
  • Passion for fantasy, sci-fi, and worldbuilding-driven storytelling

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience working on trading card games, tabletop games, or live service games
  • Background in fantasy or sci-fi writing
  • Familiarity with how narrative can be expressed through game systems and mechanics
  • Experience contributing to original IP or franchise development

Why Join Fanatics TCG

Fanatics Collectibles is building the future of fandom.

The Fanatics TCG studio is a rare opportunity to create entirely new worlds - worlds that will be expressed through millions of cards, shared across global communities, and evolved over many years.

As a Narrative Designer, you will help define the stories that live inside those worlds - shaping the characters, conflicts, and moments that players and collectors connect with.

If you're excited about building worlds and telling stories that unfold one card at a time, we'd love to hear from you.

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