Principal Designer, Combat - Unannounced Game

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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 nurtures the artistry of game development and unleashes the aspirations of our people.

As the Principal Combat Designer, you will oversee the conception and production of all components that contribute to ensuring combat is intuitive to learn, challenging to master, and satisfyingly fun.

The scope of work to deliver the combat experience will impact the player, enemies, and environment. You will ensure every aspect of the players’ actions are both satisfying and responsive. Under your care, monsters will be interesting, memorable, and challenging, from the initial threats all the way to legendary boss encounters players will talk about for decades. You will work hand-in-hand with level design to ensure the levels support the needs of combat and enemy placement.

This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work-from-home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA.

What you offer:

Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Direct the combat team in creating exciting gameplay on an ambitious new game.

• Take ownership of all combat features and systems – from ideation, through prototyping, and final best-in-class execution.

• Work closely with the Technical Director to build tools for combat and systems implementation.

• Create one-page designs, briefs, system outlines, and whatever other communication tools are necessary for succinctly and effectively communicating vision.

• Leverage technical expertise to implement systems.

• Collaborate with multiple disciplines, ensuring partners are involved and informed throughout development.

• Provide regular active feedback across all your features, and across the game.

• Remain current on industry trends including new game genres, new game design techniques, and trending audio-visual excellence.

Minimum Requirements

• 15+ years of experience in combat or systems design or applicable combination of education and experience.

• Proven experience leading design teams; have shipped at least one major title in a leadership capacity.

• Experience leading multiple functional teams in feature development.

• Experience with AAA game engines.

• Experience developing design concepts from conception to implementation in a clear, detailed manner.

Extra Points

• Your work experience is in the AAA space.

• Built a combat design team – hire, train, and mentor designers of combat and systems.

• Familiarity with programming and scripting languages such as C++, C#, Blueprint, Lua, or JavaScript.

• A background in combat design, content design, or tools development.

• Strong documentation philosophies and strategies to evangelize your designs.

• Playing a variety of video game genres and titles.

Your Platform

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

Our World

Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!

Our ability to build immersive and innovate worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment.  We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!

The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.

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/.