Software Engineer, Gameplay Combat - Unannounced Game

BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT, INC.; Irvine (CA); Hybrid; USD 79,000 - 147,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is seeking a Gameplay Engineer, Combat for an unannounced title in Irvine, CA. You will develop combat experiences, character behaviors, navigation, and gameplay tech as part of a cross-disciplinary team.

You will work on high-quality features with a focus on performance, scalability, and fun gameplay, collaborating with designers, artists, and other engineers in a hybrid on-site/remote setting.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in gameplay engineering or related experience.
• Contributions on action-focused combat systems, NPC AI, navigation, or gameplay features on at least one shipped title.
• Strong C++ programming skills, including performance analysis and optimization.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain combat systems with emphasis on performance and maintainability.
• Partner with encounter, character, and system designers to translate goals into robust technical solutions.
• Collaborate with designers, artists, animators, and gameplay engineers to deliver polished combat experiences.
• Identify performance bottlenecks, technical risks, and implementation challenges; propose solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to diagnose issues and drive fixes to resolution.

Skills

C++

Gameplay programming

Combat systems

NPC AI

Navigation

Performance optimization

Tools

Unreal Engine

Job description

Job Description

At Blizzard, we craft genre-defining games and legendary worlds for all to share. Through unparalleled creativity and storytelling, we create immersive universes and iconic characters that are beloved across platforms, borders, backgrounds, and generations, only made possible by building a work environment that cultivates the artistry of game development and unleashes the aspirations of our people. We are looking for a Gameplay Engineer, Combat to help create the next generation of gameplay experiences in an unannounced title. You will be responsible for developing combat experiences, character behaviors, navigation systems, and gameplay technologies that make combat gameplay fun. Alongside a talented team of engineers, designers and artists, you will build the foundations that power engaging, responsive, and immersive gameplay.

This role offers a hybrid work week, with a mix of work-from-home and on-site days, based out of our Irvine, CA location.

Responsibilities

This role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain combat systems supporting interactions between players and NPCs, with a strong emphasis on performance, scalability, and maintainability.
• Partner with encounter, character, and system designers to transform gameplay goals into robust technical solutions.
• Collaborate with designers, artists, animators, and gameplay engineers to implement polished combat experiences.
• Identify performance bottlenecks, technical risks, and implementation challenges while proposing practical solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary and technical partners to diagnose issues and drive fixes to resolution.

Requirements

Minimum 5 years of experience in gameplay engineering or a combination of applicable training and related experience. Contributions on action focused combat systems, NPC AI, navigation, or gameplay features on at least one shipped title. Strong C++ programming skills, including performance analysis and optimization. Experience delivering high-quality features as part of a cross-functional team including designers, artists, animators, level designers, FX artists, etc.Bonus Points Experience working with Unreal Engine Experience and interest in character animation, navigation, combat or gameplay mechanics Experience and interest in combat gameplay Console development experience

Your Platform

At Blizzard Entertainment, we pour our hearts and souls into everything we create. Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft, we've been creating genre-defining games for millions of players around the world for more than 30 years. We're on a quest: bring our dreams to life and craft the most epic entertainment experiences…ever. Hard work, iteration, and polish go into the Blizzard "secret recipe," but the most important ingredients come from talented people who share our vision.

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 $38.08 - $70.44 Hourly.

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.

Blizzard Entertainment® is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software. After establishing the Blizzard Entertainment label in 1994, the company quickly became one of the most popular and well-respected makers of computer games. By focusing on creating well-designed, highly enjoyable entertainment experiences, Blizzard Entertainment has maintained an unparalleled reputation for quality since its inception.