Expert Gameplay Animator

Activision Blizzard, Inc.; Warszawa; On-site; PLN 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Activision Blizzard, Inc. is seeking an Expert Gameplay Animator to shape the animation vision for a new IP at Elsewhere Entertainment.

You will combine craft with deep gameplay and combat expertise, collaborating with skilled developers to create innovative, exhilarating experiences and elevate the studio's animation standards. You’ll own the animation quality bar, drive readable combat, and partner with Design, Engineering, Art, Audio and Narrative to ensure animation enhances the player

Qualifications

• Significant gameplay animation experience including senior or principal contributions to shipped titles.
• Strong combat animation skills with readable player and enemy combat behaviours.
• Deep understanding of combat readability, timing, anticipation, hit reactions and attack cycles.
• Experience working in game engines and contributing to animation systems.
• Strong knowledge of motion-capture pipelines, editing and blending mocap with keyframe animation.
• Advanced proficiency in Maya.
• Proven ability to influence creative decisions across disciplines.
• Constructive feedback to help grow other animators.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the quality bar for gameplay animation with a focus on responsive combat.
• Create and refine high-quality character animations using mocap data and fundamentals.
• Shape animation approaches that support combat design, traversal and player expression.
• Collaborate with Design, Engineering, Art, Audio and Narrative to enhance player experience.
• Contribute to animation systems, state machines, blending and in-engine implementation.

Skills

Gameplay animation

Combat animation

Maya

Motion capture

Game engines

Mentorship

Collaboration

Tools

Unreal Engine

Job description

Job Title:

Expert Gameplay Animator

Requisition ID:

R028093

Job Description:

Expert Gameplay Animator

Elsewhere Entertainment is looking for a Expert Gameplay Animator to help shape the animation vision for an exciting new IP.

You’ll combine outstanding animation craft with deep gameplay and combat expertise, collaborating with highly skilled developers to create innovative, exhilarating and expansively entertaining experiences. As a senior creative voice on the project, you’ll help elevate both the game and the studio through inclusivity, mutual respect, thoughtfulness, empathy, professionalism and collaboration.

You’ll help us by…

• Owning and driving the quality bar for gameplay animation, with a particular focus on responsive, readable and satisfying combat.
• Creating and refining high-quality character animations using strong animation fundamentals, gameplay principles and motion-capture data.
• Shaping animation approaches that support combat design, player expression, enemy behaviours, traversal and moment-to-moment gameplay.
• Partnering closely with Design, Engineering, Art, Audio and Narrative to ensure animation enhances the overall player experience.
• Applying deep knowledge of game design mechanics, 3Cs (character, camera and controls), AI behaviour, camera animation and narrative context.
• Contributing to animation systems, state machines, blending, transitions and in-engine implementation to achieve fluid, responsive gameplay.
• Providing clear creative direction, feedback and mentorship to help raise the craft and capability of the animation team.
• Identifying opportunities to improve tools, workflows and pipelines, helping the team work more effectively at scale.
• Solving complex technical and creative challenges while balancing quality, performance and production needs.

You’re awesome because you have…

• Significant gameplay animation experience, including a senior or principal-level contribution to one or more shipped titles.
• Strong combat animation skills, with experience creating impactful, responsive player and enemy combat behaviours.
• A deep understanding of combat readability, timing, anticipation, hit reactions, attack cycles, locomotion and player control.
• Experience working in game engines and contributing to animation systems and implementation.
• Strong knowledge of motion-capture pipelines, including editing, cleanup and blending mocap with keyframe animation.
• Exceptional animation fundamentals across human and creature movement, including timing, weight, balance and physicality.
• Proven experience collaborating across disciplines and influencing creative decisions at a project level.
• A thoughtful, constructive approach to giving feedback and supporting the growth of other animators.
• Advanced proficiency in Maya and the ability to adapt quickly to new tools and technologies.
• Strong technical and collaborative problem-solving skills.

Not sure you meet all the qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! At Activision, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

Our World

At Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment.We’redriven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™, and Guitar Hero®. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our “press start” is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences.

We’renot just looking back at our decades-long legacy;we’reforging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization.

We’rein the business of delivering fun and unforgettable entertainment for our player community to enjoy. And our future opportunities have never been greater — this could be your opportunity to level up.

Ready to Activate Your Future?

#elsewhere