Principal Game Designer, Combat & Controls - Unpublished R&D Project

Responsibilities

• Maintain a holistic vision for combat and controls while driving design vision and execution for core gameplay systems
• Personally prototype, design, and iterate on difficult gameplay problems in ambiguous, early-stage development spaces, creating multiple design approaches and articulating the tradeoffs, risks, and player implications of each
• Partner closely with product managers, engineers, UX designers, artists, and producers to turn design goals into playable, testable experiences
• Define and evolve design frameworks, principles, and quality bars that improve team decision-making and raise the standard of gameplay craft
• Mentor other designers through feedback, craft guidance, and principled problem solving
• Contribute to broader gameplay direction by identifying learnings and opportunities that can inform future initiatives

Requirements

• 8+ years of professional experience in game design
• Deep experience designing, prototyping, and iterating on core gameplay systems
• Strong expertise in combat design, controls, targeting, camera, and gameplay feel
• Experience owning large, complex design spaces and delivering high-impact player-facing outcomes
• Experience working in ambiguous or exploratory development environments where fast learning and iteration matter
• Experience partnering closely with engineers to develop and refine gameplay systems from concept through implementation
• Able to break down complex design problems, generate strong solutions, and clearly communicate design rationale across disciplines

Desired Qualifications

• Expertise with designing for twin-stick controls
• Experience mentoring designers and giving clear cross-disciplinary feedback that raises the craft bar for a team
• Experience leading strategically important gameplay features and establishing frameworks or principles that improve team-wide quality and consistency
• Experience helping teams evolve established gameplay systems and development practices through thoughtful adoption of AI-native tools and workflows
• Experience using scripting or engine-level tools to prototype gameplay ideas directly