As a Senior Game Designer, you will design, tweak, & optimize the player experience. Your analytical skills, player insight, & creativity aid in crafting in- & out-of-game experiences that engage & surprise players. You will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams & work with every tool at hand to innovate & iterate player-focused designs that'll delight millions around the world.

VALORANT is Riots take on a character-based tactical shooter (for more info on VALORANT click here!). As a Game Designer III working on the Competitive Systems team you will design & deliver world class competitive & ranked systems.  You will deeply understand what motivates competitive players & understand how to craft systems that are competitively sound & satisfying to compete in. You will be responsible for designing solutions that solve design problems for players across different platforms & how to balance for their unique player experiences. You will report to the Lead Metasystems Designer.

Responsibilities:

• Design Competitive & Ranked Systems that value players continued investment in VALORANT.
• Design & support matchmaking services to ensure players compete in fair matches.
• Work with other disciplines to take content & features from conception to our players hands.
• Seek opportunities for new design spaces in collaboration with Product Managers & Design Leadership. 
• Create & provide multiple potential designs & solutions. Articulate trade-offs & risks between different options with a clear understanding of content & product level goals.
• Playtest VALORANT & help push for continued improvements for existing designs & fresh prototypes.

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in professional Game Design
• Shipped or worked on at least one AAA+ online competitive game
• Can create & improve complex systems with attention to the player impacts & downstream effects
• Proven ability to articulate decision making frameworks with other designers & team members

Desired Qualifications:

• Deep level of understanding, passion, & engagement with online competitive games.
• Experience developing online matchmaking or ranked systems.
• Familiarity with online shooters, especially VALORANT and/or tactical shooters
• Views potential 'charged' player feedback as an opportunity to better understand & improve the product. 
• Experience balancing competitive integrity with satisfying game systems.
• Experience developing on multiple platforms, PC, Mobile, & Console.

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise & a collaborative spirit that prioritizes the delight of players. We will look at your past studies & experience, but for this role, we also look for dedicated people with a personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy & care about players' experiences, this is the role for you!

Our Perks:

Riot has a focus on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy, in addition to other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, & life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner & children, & a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages for more information.

At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games & experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether youre working directly on a new player-facing experience or youre supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, were better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, were looking forward to your application.

Its our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants & members of Riot Games Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped & disabled Rioters & does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal & state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state & local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, & the Washington Fair Chance Act.

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

• Safeguarding confidential & sensitive Company data
• Communication with others, including Rioters & third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
• Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, & networks
• Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players & other Rioters

These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, & compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs & additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency & security.