Senior Game Designer (Combat)

United States, Santa Monica, CAPosted 3 days ago

Role Overview

Naughtydog is hiring a Senior Game Designer (Combat). This is a full-time hybrid role, based in United States, Santa Monica. posted 3 days ago. Full responsibilities, required qualifications, and the apply link are listed in the description below.

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Job description

This is a hybrid/ onsite position.

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Parts I and II are now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we’re busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we’d love to find talented individuals to join us.

Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.

What you will do:

Pitch, design, implement, and own enemy NPC archetypes
Work with AI programmers to develop foundational NPC technology and implementing and tuning enemy AI behaviors
Work with animators to develop enemy locomotion and traversal, melee moves, ambient behaviors, and other custom abilities. Make every enemy archetype feel unique and memorable
Collaborate with the Design team to conceptualize, prototype, implement, tune, and balance gameplay mechanics and systems
Communicate with animation, programming, and art departments to effectively produce the assets and code support required for the enemies you’re owning
Write and maintain documentation that establishes the core vision of the enemy archetypes
Drive communication and collaboration for enemies you design and the levels they are in, ensuring communication across disciplines and meeting deadlines
Effective and respectful communicator and collaborator, both with other designers and members of other departments
Facilitate playtesting and feedback sessions to iterate on combat systems and fine-tune them based on player experiences
Mentor junior designers and contribute to the overall growth of the design team

What skills you will use:

5+ years of industry experience in combat design and/or technical design for games, specifically focused on developing action-adventure or shooter games
At least one shipped title as a combat designer or similar role. Experience with behavior trees or similar NPC AI concepts preferred
Strong coding ability: Computer Science degree preferred though not required
Proficient in using game engines and tools (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity) for combat implementation and design scripting (C#, Lua, Visual Scripting)
Welcomes feedback on their work and embraces the “let’s try it” mentality
Proficient and effective communication skills, including diagramming and sketching
Fluent in modern character action-adventure and shooter combat games. Maintains knowledge of the broader gaming landscape trends
Knowledge of narrative structure and how it intersects with gameplay and combat
A keen eye for detail in character action games, able to tune gameplay systems to make them feel smooth and impactful
Strong leadership and mentoring skills

The estimated USA base pay range for this zone (Los Angeles area) is listed below. This role may be eligible for additional compensation packages that includes annual bonus and other incentive plans.

$145,100—$181,400 USD

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.

About Naughtydog

Naughtydog

Hybrid

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for the Senior Game Designer (Combat) position at Naughtydog?

Use the Apply button above to submit your application directly to Naughtydog. Most applications take less than 5 minutes if your resume and contact details are ready, and you'll be routed to the employer's official application system to finish.

Is the Senior Game Designer (Combat) role at Naughtydog remote or in-office?

This is a hybrid role based in United States, Santa Monica. Expect a mix of in-office and remote days, with the specific cadence set by the hiring manager.

What does a Senior Game Designer (Combat) at Naughtydog earn?

Naughtydog has not disclosed a salary range in this posting. Many employers share specifics later in the interview process; you can also ask during a recruiter screen if compensation transparency is important to you.

When was the Senior Game Designer (Combat) role at Naughtydog posted?

This role was posted on July 9, 2026 (3 days ago). It's still listed as actively hiring; we re-confirm openings against the source system multiple times per day and remove closed roles.

How much experience does the Senior Game Designer (Combat) role at Naughtydog require?

This is a senior-level position. Most senior roles call for 5+ years of directly relevant experience. Naughtydog lists their specific requirements in the description below, so review the must-have qualifications closely before applying.