Principal Gameplay Animator - Elsewhere Entertainment

Activision; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 137,000 - 253,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401(k) with company match

Paid holidays and vacation

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Activision seeks a Principal Gameplay Animator for Elsewhere Entertainment in Santa Monica to shape animation for a new IP. You will lead gameplay animation quality, collaborate across disciplines and mentor team members to elevate both game and studio performance.

You will own combat readability, refine motion-capture integrations, and drive animation pipelines that balance quality with production needs, contributing to an inclusive and high-performing team culture.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Gameplay animation

Combat animation

Animation readability

Game engines

Motion capture

Animation fundamentals

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Feedback & mentoring

Maya

Problem-solving

Tools

Maya

Job description

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Principal Gameplay Animator - Elsewhere Entertainment

Category: Animation

Location: Santa Monica, California, United States of America

Job Title:

Principal Gameplay Animator - Elsewhere Entertainment

Requisition ID:

R028281

Job Description:

Elsewhere Entertainment is looking for a Principal 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‑representated 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’re driven 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’re not just looking back at our decades‑long legacy; we’re forging 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’re in 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

Rewards

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full‑time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/ .

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $136,880.00 - $253,260.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.

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