Senior Combat Designer
Irvine, CA

Job Description

Blizzard Entertainment is seeking a talented and passionate Senior Combat Designer to architect and lead core combat design for an unannounced project. In this role, you will provide vision and design insight to cross-discipline team-members responsible for the beating heart and soul of our unannounced project.

We are a team of passionate developers that value open-minded collaboration, direct communication and feedback, and the eagerness to grab and drive a feature to Blizzard quality. As a combat designer on the team, you'll balance your humble and supportive nature with a particularly strong eye for gameplay feel, prioritizing satisfying feedback and intuitive mechanics. By blending your creative vision with your ability to align teams on important goals, you'll pitch and refine ideas into simple and targeted executions that are exciting to play.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience designing moment-to-moment gameplay, controls, weapons, and abilities for modern AAA games.

Responsibilities:

* Analyze, pitch, prototype, balance, and develop core combat mechanics and systems for an unannounced project.
* Act as a champion of fun, feel, feedback, and intuitive mechanics for all aspects of combat.
* Partner with design and leadership in forming and evangelizing the design vision to the rest of the team.
* Lead playtest sessions, building a safe and productive environment for participants to share constructive and actionable feedback.
* Create one-page designs, content briefs, system outlines, and whatever other communication tools are necessary for succinctly and effectively communicating vision.
* Leverage technical experience to implement systems inside a proprietary design tool.
* Collaborate with multiple disciplines, ensuring the correct partners are involved and informed throughout the development process.
* Gather and provide effective and constructive feedback to the creative staff, providing suggestions and solutions for improvement when applicable.
* Ensure consistency, authenticity, and harmony across features, systems, and development efforts.
* Remain current on industry trends including: new game genres, new game design methods and techniques, and trending audio visual excellence.

Requirements

* 6+ years of experience shipping AAA titles in combat design roles
* Multiple shipped titles in a senior role with a history of successful features
* Demonstrated ability to communicate design vision and to align vision with internal partners and an intended market
* Exceptional ability to conceptualize, pitch, and implement game systems/features using various tools, technology, and visual language
* Ability to direct, collaborate, and speak critically on gameplay systems, art, and content development
* Collaborative and progressive thinker capable of inspiring large teams toward a unified goal
* Clear understanding of the creative and game development processes
* Extensive experience with games, including action, FPS, and online titles
* A deep passion for and knowledge of Blizzard franchises
* Extraordinary self-motivation and initiative

Pluses

* A familiarity with scripting languages and a strong foundation in math
* Deep understanding of systems design, player psychology, and emerging industry trends
* Experience with multiple game engines (Unreal, Unity, Frostbite, etc.).

Application Materials

* Resume which must include:
* A link to your portfolio so that we can see examples of your work.
* Cover Letter which must include:
* Why you are interested in joining Blizzard Entertainment
* Your experience and relationship with Blizzard games
* What games you are currently playing.

Only submittals with Cover Letters will be considered.

Blizzard Entertainment is a global company committed to growing our employees along with the business. We offer generous benefits and perks with an eye on providing true work/life balance. We've worked hard to foster an intensely collaborative and creative environment, a diverse and inclusive employee culture, and training and opportunities for professional growth. Our people are everything, our core values are real, and our mission has never changed. We are dedicated to creating the most epic entertainment experiences ever. Join us!

Blizzard Entertainment is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.