Principal Game Designer

Electronic Arts Ltd; West Chatsworth (CA); On-site; USD 183,000 - 276,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision insurance

Paid time off

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401(k) matching

Bonus eligibility

Job summary

Electronic Arts in California is seeking a senior game designer to lead gameplay experiences for a Respawn project. You will collaborate with design, animation, code, and art to implement engaging player control and system design in UE5, shaping player moments across the game.

The role requires 5+ years in games design, hands-on scripting or programming experience, and a passion for creating fun, gameplay-driven experiences with strong engine knowledge.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in the games industry in a design role shipping at least one title.
• Experience with text-based scripting, visual scripting, and/or programming languages.
• Passion for building gameplay-driven mechanics and moments.
• Strong understanding of game engine tools and pipelines (UE5, Unity).
• Team player mindset and ability to communicate across disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Work with Design and project leadership, Animation, Code, and Art to bring the next Respawn game to life.
• Create compelling player control and own technical implementation in UE5.
• Lead the vision and design of player control feel on the sticks.
• Become an expert on game mechanics, player systems, and weapons, and lead with the team.
• Directly shape the player's moment-to-moment experience.

Skills

Senior game design experience

Scripting languages

Game design passion

UE5 experience

Unity experience

Collaboration

Problem solving

Tools

UE5

Unity

Job description

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.

Founded in 2010 by the original creators of the Call of Duty Franchise, Respawn was created with the philosophy that when talented people have creative freedom, they'll make extraordinary games that achieve the unexpected. From our roots as an indie studio to joining the expansive roster of studios at Electronic Arts, this remains our guiding principle. We truly love what we do and want to share our passion with players worldwide.

Founded in 2010 by the original creators of the Call of Duty Franchise, Respawn was created with the philosophy that when talented people have creative freedom, they'll make extraordinary games that achieve the unexpected. From our roots as an indie studio to joining the expansive roster of studios at Electronic Arts, this remains our guiding principle. We truly love what we do and want to share our passion with players worldwide.

Our shipped titles include critically acclaimed multi-platform games Apex Legends, Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Star Wars™ Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars™ Jedi: Survivor, and Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond.

What you'll do...

• Work with Design and project leadership, Animation, Code, and Art departments to bring the next Respawn game to life.
• Create compelling, imaginative, and satisfying player control and own technical implementation in UE5.
• Lead the vision and design of player control feel on the sticks.
• Become an expert on the inner-workings of game mechanics, player systems, and weapons able to lead and communicate with the larger team.
• Directly shape the player's moment to moment experience.

Ideally, you'll have...

• 5+ years' experience in the games industry working in a Design role shipping at least one title.
• Experience with text-based scripting, visual scripting, and/or programming languages.
• A passion for finding the fun and building gameplay driven mechanics, moments and experiences.
• Strong understanding of game engine tools and pipelines such as UE5, Unity, etc.
• A team player-mindset, understanding the importance of collaboration, and able to communicate effectively with all disciplines and departments.
• A positive, solution-oriented attitude and passion about the play experience, with a wealth of knowledge across a wide range of games.
• Confidence you can solve any problem.

Pay Transparency - North America

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The ranges listed below are what EA in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in these locations at the time of this posting. If you reside in a different location, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits. Pay offered will be determined based on a number of relevant business and candidate factors (e.g. education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs).

• California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. San Francisco) $182,600 - $276,300 USD

Pay is just one part of the overall compensation at EA.

In the US, we offer a package of benefits including:

• Paid time off (3 weeks per year to start)
• 80 hours per year of sick time
• 16 paid company holidays per year
• 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby
• Medical/dental/vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• 401(k) to regular full-time employees
• Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs

About Electronic Arts

We're proud to have an extensive portfolio of games and experiences, locations around the world, and opportunities across EA. We value adaptability, resilience, creativity, and curiosity. From leadership that brings out your potential, to creating space for learning and experimenting, we empower you to do great work and pursue opportunities for growth.

We adopt a holistic approach to our benefits programs, emphasizing physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support a balanced life. Our packages are tailored to meet local needs and may include healthcare coverage, mental well-being support, retirement savings, paid time off, f