Senior Game Designer, Combat - Unpublished R&D Product

Riot Games was established in 2006 by entrepreneurial gamers who believe that player-focused game development can result in great games. In 2009, Riot released its debut title League of Legends to critical and player acclaim. As the most played video game in the world, over 100 million play every month. Players form the foundation of our community and it’s for them that we continue to evolve and improve the League of Legends experience.

We’re looking for humble but ambitious, razor-sharp professionals who can teach us a thing or two. We promise to return the favor. Like us, you take play seriously; you’re passionate about games. We embrace those who see things differently, aren’t afraid to experiment, and who have a healthy disregard for constraints.

That's where you come in.

As a Game Designer, you will design, tweak, and optimize the player experience. Your analytical skills, player insight, and creativity help craft 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 create and iterate player-focused designs that will delight millions around the world.

As a Senior Game Designer (Combat) on the Unpublished R&D Product team, you will contribute to early-stage development efforts exploring future player experiences at Riot. You will partner with designers, artists, and engineers to iterate on player-focused designs and help shape engaging gameplay systems. Working within a small and evolving team, you will take a hands-on role in creating and tuning combat systems and mechanics. You will operate in an environment with evolving goals and constraints, where iteration and adaptability are key to success. You will report into the Game Director of the team.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and improve combat mechanics and systems that satisfy players and increase confidence in the game concept.
• Seek opportunities for innovative combat design solutions within the genre. Create and provide multiple potential designs and solutions. Articulate trade-offs and risks between different options.
• Create high level principles and best practices for future combat design work.
• Utilize rapid prototyping and playtesting where applicable to validate solutions.
• Create clear design documentation that can be evaluated and implemented by non-designers.
• Work collaboratively with the design team and other disciplines to create a great holistic experience. Collaborate, receive feedback, and iterate towards the highest quality product.

Required Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional experience in Game Design
• Expertise in at least one of the following: Combat Mechanics, Combat Feel, Combat AI, or Character/Camera/Controls
• 3+ years of experience with Unreal Engine (including tools such as Blueprint or equivalent systems)
• Demonstrated ability to design complex systems with strong awareness of player impact and downstream effects
• Deep understanding of gameplay systems and player interaction design
• Strong collaboration and communication skills across disciplines
• Fluency in Mandarin Chinese

Desired Qualifications

• Experience leading or owning combat design areas
• Experience working on live products or ongoing game updates
• Experience in early-stage development and prototyping environments
• Scripting experience within a game engine on a shipped title
• Familiarity with large-scale game systems and player progression design
• Fluency in spoken and written English

Don’t forget to include a resume and cover letter. We receive a lot of applications, but we’ll notice a fun, well-written intro that shows us you take play seriously.