New

Sr Combat Designer

Sony Interactive Entertainment
paid time off, 401(k)
United States, California, Los Angeles
Jun 04, 2025
Why PlayStation? PlayStation isn't just the Best Place to Play - it's also the Best Place to Work. Today, we're recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation5, PlayStation4, PlayStationVR, PlayStationPlus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more. PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation, technology, and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team. The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. Join the award-winning team that created God of War Santa Monica Studio is seeking an experienced combat designer to design and implement Enemy and Boss characters for the development of a new unannounced title! As a Sr Combat Designer, you will assist, collaborate with, and take direction from Lead Combat Designers and Directors as needed to take various characters from concept to implementation completion. You will also work with multiple disciplines including Animation, Level Design, Character Art, Vis Dev, Encounters, etc. in ensuring that characters are cohesively executed in game. Senior level applicants are expected to be able to drive features forward by representing them with confidence and knowledge, and keep all feature stakeholders well informed, as well as using their skills and experience to bolster the team via process improvement, mentorship, and leading by example. Responsibilities Create high level character design intent and combat flow plans Character animation and behavior implementation via state machines, behavior trees, visual effects, sound effects and various other scripting systems Iteratively work within the set standard for all character asset design, creation, and in-game implementation within the production path as it relates to design, art and otherwise Attend and participate in combat-specific discussions concerning combat design and combat design issues Attend and participate in production-related discussions concerning relevant feature pipelines and roadmaps Represent complex design and character features to multiple departments as "the point person" Value the relationship between gameplay elements in a level (and in the overall game) and the ways the player can respond to each gameplay element Respond to and act on playtest and lead feedback to create the best experience for all player skill levels Drive and create opportunities for value addition within the team and studio Requirements 4+ years of professional experience in game development, with 2+ years of experience in a Character design capacity (creative and technical) Significant experience using text-based and visual scripting languages to set-up character logic, debug complex problems, and test work thoroughly Basic knowledge of vector math, scripting languages, and code (e.g., XML, C++, Lua) is required Ability to grasp and work with code-based proprietary tools to implement and troubleshoot assigned characters Ability to think logically with a strong level of attention to detail - should be able to break down design concepts and analyze them with regards to purpose and intent Self-sufficient in getting to the root of a problem or issue and taking the necessary steps to find solutions Knowledge of competitive products and various gameplay genres, as well as a personal understanding of video game fun with regards to combat and enemy design Must possess quality written communication skills and the ability to convey abstract concepts Ability to professionally communicate and work with other members of the game production team Ability to speak to and discuss, in depth, combat systems, mechanics, and enemies in one or more 3^rd person melee action RPGs Preferred Experience Familiarity with the combat design choices, systems, mechanics, and enemies in God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok (2022) Experience with the full development cycle of 2 or more published AAA titles #LI-SMS *Please refer to ourCandidate Privacy Noticefor more information about how we process your personal information, and your data protection rights.* At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role's base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location. Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this role is eligible for SIE's top-tier benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, matching 401(k), paid time off, wellness program and coveted employee discounts for Sony products. This role also may be eligible for a bonus package. Clickhere to learn more. The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below. $123,800 — $185,600 USD Equal Opportunity Statement: Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category. We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond. PlayStation is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.