Lead Systems Designer - Diablo at Blizzard Entertainment

Irvine, California, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

16 May, 26

Salary

216000.0

Posted On

15 Feb, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Systems Design, Leadership, Communication, Analytical Mindset, Game Systems, Player Progression, Itemization, Rewards Design, Game Economy, Live-Service Games, ARPGs, Design Implementation, Mentorship, Scoping, Planning, Balancing

Industry

Entertainment Providers

Description

Team Name: Diablo IV Job Title: Lead Systems Designer - Diablo Requisition ID: R026674 Job Description: We Need You The minions of hell are growing stronger… Join us as we continue to shape the Diablo universe! Diablo games are action RPG experiences with endless evil to slaughter, countless skills to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot. Come work with us, and together we’ll create something amazing. Our team of passionate developers is growing. We are seeking a Lead Systems Designer to assist in the creation of new ARPG experiences within one of Blizzard’s most iconic worlds, Diablo. In this role, you will lead a team of designers responsible for the design, implementation, and ongoing evolution of core game systems, player progression, itemization, and rewards. The ideal candidate brings deep systems design expertise, strong leadership and communication skills, a sharp analytical mindset, and a passion for crafting compelling progression-driven player experiences in live-service games. This role offers a flexible hybrid work week, with a mix of remote and on-site days. While hybrid is the standard arrangement, you're also welcome to work on-site full-time if you prefer. Our primary studio location is in Irvine, CA. Responsibilities Develop and evolve the vision for Diablo systems, player progression, and itemization in collaboration with design leadership. Lead the creation and refinement of character progression, itemization, reward structures, and game economy. Collaborate closely with cross-discipline teams to solve design problems, navigate production constraints, and efficiently deliver high-quality systems and features. Maintain a deep understanding of Diablo’s core mechanics, player motivations, and community expectations to inform system evolution. Partner with Production and other leads to scope, plan, and organize the systems team’s schedule. Provide mentorship, guidance, and career development to a team of Systems Designers. Minimum Requirements 8+ years of professional game design experience, with 5+ years in systems design. 2+ years of experience leading and managing a team of designers. Extensive hands-on experience building and maintaining progression systems, itemization, game economies, endgame loops, and balancing complex gameplay ecosystems in live-service games. Strong understanding of the Diablo franchise and isometric ARPGs, including what drives long-term engagement and player satisfaction. Exceptional analytical and communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex systems and balance concepts to both designers and non-designers. Proven ability to translate game direction and vision into scalable, shippable systems. Demonstrated passion for games, systems design, and staying current with industry trends and competitor offerings. Dedication to quality, passion for gameplay, and a deep respect for the player experience. Commitment to a culture of collaboration, iteration, transparency, mentorship, and continuous improvement. Your Platform Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. Our World Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet! Our ability to build immersive and innovative worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! The video game industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all the qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply. We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics. Rewards We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including: Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance; 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching; Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave; Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others; If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance. Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/. In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $116,800.00 - $216,000.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.

Responsibilities

This role involves leading a team of designers responsible for the design, implementation, and evolution of core game systems, player progression, itemization, and rewards for the Diablo universe. Responsibilities include developing the vision for these systems in collaboration with leadership and partnering with cross-discipline teams to deliver high-quality features.