Principal Game Developer

Exploding Kittens LLC; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading game development company in Los Angeles seeks a Principal Game Developer to shape innovative party games. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of experience in tabletop game design and is adept at refining gameplay based on player feedback. Responsibilities include leading playtests, making final decisions on game mechanics, and mentoring other developers. The position offers a salary range of $120,000 to $140,000, depending on qualifications and experience.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of tabletop game design/development experience or equivalent expertise.
• Proven track record of developing successful and commercially viable mass retail party games.
• Deep understanding of mass retail party games and game mechanics.

Responsibilities

• Make final calls on game mechanics, balance, and player experience.
• Lead playtesting process and analyze playtest footage.
• Mentor designers and implement best practices across the team.

Skills

Tabletop game design

Gameplay analysis

Mentoring

Player psychology

Creative problem-solving

Job description

The Principal Game Developer is a senior leader at Exploding Kittens who plays a key role in shaping the games we bring to life. In this role, you’ll make final game development decisions, guiding concepts from idea to finished product while ensuring every game meets our high bar for clarity, innovation, delight, and replayability.

You have a deep love for game mechanics, especially mass‑market party games, and a strong instinct for what makes a game truly fun. You combine experience, sharp taste, and playtest-driven insights to refine gameplay and elevate every product you touch. You’ll also mentor and influence other designers and developers, helping raise the bar across the team.

If you’re someone who thinks about games constantly (in a good way), obsesses over what makes people laugh, connect, and come back for more, and loves turning great ideas into unforgettable experiences, you’ll fit right in.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• Serve as gameplay authority - making final calls on mechanics, balance, and player experience.
• Refine games to ensure strong audience fit across family, adult, and kids categories.
• Lead playtesting process and analyze and synthesize playtest footage into clear development direction.
• Creatively solve complex gameplay challenges, always keeping the player top of mind.
• Evaluate inventor submissions and contribute to greenlight and portfolio decisions.
• Write and/or refine instruction manuals to ensure clarity, accessibility, and brand/tone alignment.
• Mentor designers and developers, implementing and raising product standards and best practices across the team.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with the rest of Creative Operations, Production & Sourcing, and key stakeholders to bring outstanding, innovative, and disruptive games to shelf.

WHAT WE NEED:

• 10+ years of tabletop game design/development experience or equivalent expertise.
• Proven track record of developing successful and commercially viable mass retail party games.
• Deep understanding of mass retail party games, game mechanics, player psychology, rules balance, and replayability.
• Extensive experience running, observing, and analyzing playtests.
• Strong ability to diagnose gameplay issues and implement effective solutions.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, especially for rules, instruction manuals, and "how to play" videos.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and elevate other designers.
• Exceptional taste, strong judgment, and a sustained focus on the audience experience.

$120,000 - $140,000 a year.

This salary represents a range for the position and will ultimately depend on the individual's qualifications and years of experience, location, and is subject to change.