Technical Gameplay Designer (Player Abilities and Combat)

Achieve Player Expression Through Abilities

Your work will contribute to combat, traversal, social, and other moment-to-moment gameplay systems, helping ensure our mechanics feel expressive, readable, and rewarding in a multiplayer environment.

A Day In The Life

Work in Unreal Engine, using Blueprints and other tools to design, prototype, and iterate on player abilities, such as weapons, tools, items, armors, buffs, and gameplay modifiers for an online multiplayer game. Implement and maintain gameplay features from early concept through polish in close collaboration with engineering and other technical design partners. Playtest, tune, and refine abilities that influence combat, traversal, exploration, social interactions, and player expression to support engaging and readable multiplayer experiences.

What You Bring

• Passion for systemic gameplay and creating meaningful player expression through combinatoric and emergent gameplay mechanics.
• Senior-level experience designing gameplay mechanics, abilities, or progression features in shipped games.
• Technical experience working in Unreal Engine, including Blueprint scripting or gameplay systems frameworks.
• A solid understanding of combat design fundamentals, even if combat has not been your primary specialization.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design intent and tradeoffs.
• Thoughtful playtesting and iteration habits, balancing creative goals with system health and player experience.
• Bonus points for experience working on multiplayer or live-service games, with an appreciation for iteration and long-term balance. Familiarity with layered gameplay mechanics such as buffs, passives, modifiers, or status effects.

The Team

This role reports to the Design Manager

About the Role

At Gardens Interactive, we believe that games have the power to connect people and foster meaningful relationships. Our studio is dedicated to creating critically acclaimed and commercially successful live-service games through a sustainable and collaborative development process.

Who We Are

We're a game studio founded by the creators behind titles such as Journey, What Remains of Edith Finch, Blaseball, Dustforce, Ashen, Guild Wars 2, Firewatch, and more! Our name reflects our mission: to cultivate rich, immersive worlds that foster meaningful connections and lasting friendships. We believe in creating lush, living environments where players can engage in surprising multiplayer experiences and grow together with the support of their communities.

Compensation Range

$172.1K - $206.4K