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Principal Game Designer, MetaSystems – League of Legends
Riot Games
Job Summary
As a Game Designer, you will design, tweak, and optimize the player experience. Your analytical skills, player insight, and creativity aid in crafting in- and out-of-game experiences that engage and surprise players. You will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and work with every tool at hand to innovate and iterate player-focused designs that’ll delight millions around the world.
As a Principal Game Designer specializing in meta-systems, you’ll help shape how players engage with systems outside the core gameplay loop. You partner with other designers, artists, and engineers to develop meta systems that provide meaningful progression, deep strategic choices, and rewarding long-term engagement.
You have significant League of Legends affinity and experience, understanding the challenges our players encounter and the motivations that drive them. You are comfortable operating in an ambiguous environment and able to design and iterate on new solutions to old problems. You will report to the Season Game Design Lead on the team.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and evolve meta systems (e.g., progression, rewards, quests, out-of-game content) to amplify player engagement and support overall product goals.
- Work closely with product managers, engineers, artists, and other designers to ensure systems are cohesive, consistent, and in line with League of Legends’ overall vision.
- Keep the focus on player value by leveraging feedback, user research, and game data to iterate on designs and ensure high-quality experiences.
- Provide direction, mentorship, and feedback to other game designers, fostering an environment of collaboration and craft excellence.
- Research and champion new trends, tools, and technologies that can elevate League of Legends meta systems and keep them fresh, fun, and competitive.
- Maintain a player-first mindset in every decision.
- Embody Riot’s core values of player experience, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Required Qualifications
- 7+ years of experience in professional Game Design
- 3+ years of experience working as a game designer on a MOBA or PVP product
- Deep experience in developing multiple and a wide variety of meta-systems
- Ability to analyze complex data sets and translate findings into innovative design solutions that resonate with players.
- Experience working in a “games as a service” environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Strong knowledge and intimate understanding of the League of Legends game experience and what approaches to design best meet its players’ needs.
- Experience as a senior thought leader of materially-impactful world-class innovations on a commercial video game.
- An intuitive sense of player motivations, behaviors, and feedback loops in competitive multiplayer environments.
- Dedicated people with a personal relationship with games who embody player empathy and care about players’ experiences.
Benefits & Compensation
Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children, and a 401k with company match.
Base salary range between $185,200.00 – $258,000.00 USD plus incentive compensation, equity, 401K with company match, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, short and long-term disability, and open PTO.
About Riot Games
Riot Games fosters a player and workplace experience that values teamwork embodied by the Summoner’s Code and Community Code. Our culture embraces differences as a strength, and our values are the guiding principles for how we approach work.
We are committed to putting diversity and inclusion (D&I) at the center of everything we do, and promoting a fair and collaborative culture where Rioters treat one another with dignity and respect.
We encourage you to read more about our value of thriving together and our ongoing work to build the most inclusive company in Gaming.
Equal Employment Opportunity
It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law.
We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Washington Fair Chance Act.
Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:
- Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data
- Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
- Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks
- Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters
These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and compliance obligations within our organization.
Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security.
