About the role
Mission
Blizzard Entertainment is assembling a team to build the next chapter of STARCRAFT, returning to a universe forged in interstellar war. This mission offers something new: crafting an original story-driven, open-world shooter while honoring the legacy of one of Blizzard's most beloved games. This role is a hybrid position, with a mix of work-from-home and on-site days, based out of the Irvine studio.
Responsibilities
Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment, so this role includes, but is not limited to:
- Serve as the connective tissue between player combat, enemy combat, and level design disciplines.
- Build and champion the end-to-end combat experience, ensuring player abilities, enemy behaviors, and encounter design come together to create compelling gameplay.
- Design, prototype, and iterate on player combat systems, enemy combat mechanics, encounter experiences, and moment-to-moment gameplay.
- Establish combat and encounter design frameworks, guidelines, and best practices that enable scalable development across multiple feature teams.
- Implement combat encounters that challenge players, encourage mastery, support multiple playstyles, and reinforce progression goals.
- Evaluate gameplay feedback, telemetry, and playtest findings to identify opportunities for improvement in combat feel, pacing, challenge, and engagement.
- Provide expert guidance and mentorship to designers across multiple disciplines through constructive feedback, design reviews, and knowledge sharing.
- Partner with leadership to identify risks, align priorities, and ensure combat initiatives support broader game goals.
- Champion high standards of quality, accessibility, usability, and player experience throughout development.
Minimum Requirements
Experience
- 13+ years of applicable experience demonstrating recognized expertise within combat or gameplay design disciplines.
- Significant professional experience in game design with a strong focus on combat design, gameplay systems design, or related disciplines.
- Experience owning and shipping complex combat features or gameplay systems on large-scale game development teams.
- Demonstrated success leading major gameplay initiatives that required cross-functional collaboration across multiple disciplines.
- Experience developing games for PC, Xbox, and/or PlayStation platforms.
- Proven ability to influence gameplay direction and design decision-making through expertise, communication, and execution.
- Proven ability to work collaboratively within teams and foster productive partnerships across all departments.
- Demonstrated ability to inspire colleagues through an enthusiastic approach to game development and a commitment to continuous improvement of core skills.
- Ability to take initiative and manage responsibilities independently, demonstrating strong ownership and accountability.
- Experienced and knowledgeable player of a wide range of games and able to use that expertise to enhance creative decisions in game development.
Knowledge & Skills
- Comprehensive understanding of combat design principles including pacing, responsiveness, game feel, encounter design, progression, and player mastery.
- Extensive experience creating and balancing combat systems for action-oriented gameplay experiences.
- Expertise with gameplay prototyping, iteration methodologies, tuning workflows, and playtest-driven development.
- Strong understanding of player motivation, engagement, progression systems, and long-term retention through gameplay excellence.
- Experience collaborating with technical teams to translate design goals into robust gameplay implementations.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly articulate design intent and provide actionable feedback.
- Experience using modern game development tools and game engines, including Unreal.
- Deep understanding of game development pipelines and cross-disciplinary production practices.
Key Attributes
- A player-first design mindset grounded in quality and craftsmanship.
- Exceptional problem-solving skills and comfort addressing complex design challenges.
- A collaborative and team-oriented approach to development.
- A passion for mentorship, knowledge sharing, and elevating the craft of game design.
- Strong ownership and accountability for outcomes.
- Adaptability and resilience within a dynamic environment while navigating fluid deadlines and changing priorities with purpose.
- A commitment to fostering an inclusive and respectful development environment.
Extra Points
- Experience designing combat systems for shooter, action, RPG, or other combat-focused game genres.
- Experience designing boss battles, creature combat, progression systems, or large-scale gameplay experiences.
- Experience building and evaluating combat prototypes early in development.
- Prior experience mentoring senior and principal-level designers.
- Experience contributing to the establishment of gameplay direction on new game development efforts.
Required Application Materials
- Resume.
- Cover Letter (Optional).
- Portfolio demonstrating combat design work, gameplay systems ownership, shipped features, and design process examples.
- Work samples that showcase design thinking, iteration, implementation, and player-focused outcomes.
Rewards and Benefits
The U.S. standard base pay range for this role is $119,280.00 - $220,700.00 Annual. Final offer is based on factors including relevant experience, performance, and work location. In addition to base pay, employees may be eligible for incentive compensation.
Comprehensive benefits include:
- Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance.
- 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching.
- Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave.
- Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others.
- Relocation assistance may be available if moving geographic locations is required by the company.