[Hiring] Gameplay Designer @Devoted Studios

Role Description

We are looking for a Gameplay Designer specializing in combat systems, player abilities, and in-engine implementation to help shape responsive, satisfying, and scalable gameplay experiences across co-development projects. You will design, prototype, implement, and tune combat mechanics, ability kits, and encounter-driven gameplay directly in-engine, with a strong focus on feel, clarity, and player impact. This is a hands-on role for a designer who is comfortable owning both the design intent and the in-engine execution, while contributing to ongoing gameplay improvements, live updates, and player-facing issue resolution.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, implement, and iterate on player combat mechanics, including attacks, dodges, counters, cooldowns, combos, timing windows, and other core gameplay interactions.
• Design and tune player ability kits, skill systems, and progression hooks, defining their inputs, effects, interactions, upgrade paths, and gameplay roles.
• Work directly in Unreal Engine 5 to build and iterate on gameplay systems, with strong hands-on use of Blueprints for implementation, prototyping, and tuning.
• Collaborate closely with gameplay engineers to support implementation, extend features, and work with light scripting in C++ where needed.
• Tune moment-to-moment combat feel, including responsiveness, readability, hit reactions, feedback timing, damage communication, and overall player satisfaction.
• Design enemy archetypes, combat scenarios, and encounter structures that create readable threats and varied gameplay challenges.
• Build and maintain design documentation, including combat specs, ability sheets, flow diagrams, stat tables, and tuning notes.
• Support gameplay iteration across development and live updates, helping improve combat balance, ability performance, and player experience over time.
• Help identify, triage, and resolve gameplay bugs, balance issues, exploits, and other player-impacting combat or ability problems.
• Partner with design, engineering, animation, VFX, audio, QA, and production to ensure gameplay systems are polished, maintainable, and aligned with project goals.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of gameplay, combat, or systems design experience in a professional development environment.
• Proficiency in Unreal Engine 5, with the ability to implement and iterate on gameplay content directly in-engine.
• Strong working knowledge of Blueprints for prototyping, gameplay logic, ability scripting, and feature tuning.
• Ability to work with light scripting in C++, especially in collaboration with engineers to support gameplay systems and implementation needs.
• At least one shipped title where you were a primary contributor to combat, gameplay abilities, or core player mechanics.
• Strong instincts for game feel, with the ability to identify and solve issues related to responsiveness, clarity, timing, and satisfaction.
• Understanding of action gameplay fundamentals such as timing windows, hit reactions, priority, invulnerability states, input flow, and combat readability.
• Experience designing ability systems with depth, synergy, and clear mastery curves.
• Clear communication and documentation skills, with the ability to explain both the design and the reasoning behind tuning decisions.
• Collaborative working style and comfort giving and receiving feedback across disciplines.

Nice to have

• Experience with Unreal Engine’s Gameplay Ability System (GAS).
• Experience supporting live games, combat tuning, or post-launch gameplay updates.
• Background in action-RPG, character-action, shooter, or encounter-heavy gameplay design.
• Familiarity with enemy AI behaviors, encounter scripting, or animation state integration in Unreal.
• Strong interest in analyzing and deconstructing combat feel across modern games.

Benefits

• 26 days leave throughout the year (accrued with tenure and company downtime during holiday periods).
• Interesting and challenging tasks – solve diverse and challenging issues, communicate with people within the company as well as with our partners.
• Convenient working conditions – remote work, the opportunity to build your own working day with flexible working hours.
• A chance to work in a highly professional and dynamic team working with a wide range of International Game Production projects, attractive remuneration package, and opportunities to develop professionally.

Company Description

Devoted Studios is a globally remote game development company specializing in Co-development, Porting, and End-to-End Art Production for the global gaming industry. We collaborate across time zones to support projects on all major platforms, engines, and styles - from AAA titles to emerging technologies. Our team includes world-class talents who bring deep expertise in external development, pipeline optimization, and creative problem-solving. We are proud to be the development partner of choice for industry leaders such as Epic, Xbox, Meta, Obsidian Entertainment, Riot, and Gearbox Software.