Design Director, Systems — Diablo (Hybrid/Remote)

Blizzard Entertainment; Irvine (CA); Hybrid; USD 127,000 - 235,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with Company match

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Blizzard Entertainment in Irvine, CA is seeking a Design Director, Systems for Diablo to lead our designer team and shape core progression, social features, and economy systems. This hybrid role blends remote and on-site collaboration across Albany and Irvine studios.

You will mentor senior designers, set strategic direction, and ensure balance and engaging experiences for millions of players worldwide, guiding cross-disciplinary teams toward a unified vision.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of professional systems design experience in games, with 4+ years leading design teams.
• Extensive experience developing progression systems, game economies, social features, and balancing complex live-service gameplay.
• Deep understanding of the Diablo series, ARPG mechanics, player psychology, and retention drivers.
• Exceptional analytical and communication skills to convey complex systems to diverse audiences.
• Proven track record mentoring teams of experienced designers and leading cross-functional efforts.

Responsibilities

• Develop and communicate a clear vision for progression, social, gameplay, and balance systems.
• Ensure design alignment across multiple teams to maintain a cohesive player experience.
• Coordinate across departments to enable smooth cross-team collaboration.
• Maintain deep understanding of core Diablo mechanics to inform system evolution.
• Lead creation and refinement of progression/reward structures and economy systems.
• Oversee tuning and iteration of gameplay balance across player skill levels.
• Provide mentorship and career development to Lead Systems Designers.
• Represent Systems Design in leadership discussions and advocate for player experience.

Skills

Systems design

Team leadership

Live service balance

Analytics

Tools

Data-driven design tools

Scripting languages

Job description

Blizzard Entertainment in Irvine, CA is seeking a Design Director, Systems for Diablo to lead our designer team and shape core progression, social features, and economy systems. This hybrid role blends remote and on-site collaboration across Albany and Irvine studios.

You will mentor senior designers, set strategic direction, and ensure balance and engaging experiences for millions of players worldwide, guiding cross-disciplinary teams toward a unified vision.