Senior Game Designer, Balancing & Economy - Unpublished R&D Product

Riot Games was established in 2006 by entrepreneurial gamers who believe that player-focused game development can result in great games. In 2009, Riot released its debut title League of Legends to critical and player acclaim. As the most played video game in the world, over 100 million play every month. Players form the foundation of our community and it’s for them that we continue to evolve and improve the League of Legends experience.

We’re looking for humble but ambitious, razor-sharp professionals who can teach us a thing or two. We promise to return the favor. Like us, you take play seriously; you’re passionate about games. We embrace those who see things differently, aren’t afraid to experiment, and who have a healthy disregard for constraints.

That's where you come in.

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

As a Senior Game Designer (Systems – Balancing & Economy) on the Unpublished R&D Product team, you will help design, build, and refine gameplay systems that support engaging player experiences. You will partner with designers, artists, and engineers to develop, iterate, and improve systems through rapid prototyping, testing, and cross-functional collaboration. This role requires a hands-on designer who is comfortable working in an evolving development environment, balancing experimentation with thoughtful decision-making while continuously improving gameplay systems and player experiences. You will report into the Game Director of the team.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and improve gameplay systems that deliver engaging player experiences.
• Develop multiple system design solutions and clearly communicate implementation trade-offs and associated risks.
• Establish design principles and best practices for future systems design work.
• Lead small cross-functional teams to develop gameplay systems aligned with product objectives.
• Create clear design documentation that can be understood and implemented across disciplines.
• Collaborate closely with designers, artists, engineers, and production partners to create cohesive player experiences.
• Utilize prototyping, playtesting, and data-informed iteration to validate and improve system designs.
• Incorporate feedback and continuously refine systems to achieve high-quality player experiences.

Required Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional experience in Game Design.
• Strong expertise in one or more of the following areas: progression systems, game balance, economy systems, or mathematical modeling.
• Experience owning gameplay features or leading systems design efforts for at least one shipped title.
• Demonstrated ability to create and improve complex gameplay mechanics and systems with consideration for player experience and long-term maintainability.
• Experience integrating multiple gameplay systems into cohesive player experiences.
• Fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience leading systems, economy, or game balance design.
• Experience with prototyping and iterative game development.
• Experience collaborating across disciplines throughout the game development lifecycle.
• Experience mentoring or coaching other designers.
• Significant proficiency (3+ years) using Unreal Engine.
• Fluent in spoken and written English.

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about players' experiences, this could be your role!