Skydance · 2 days ago
Principal Combat Designer
Santa Monica, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Lead/Staff
$165K/yr - $185K/yr
10+ years expSkydance Games, a division of Paramount, is creating immersive interactive entertainment experiences. As a Principal Combat Designer, you will lead the design and development of combat features, guiding a team of designers while prototyping and iterating on core combat mechanics.
AnimationBroadcastingDigital EntertainmentFilmFilm ProductionMedia and EntertainmentMusicNewsTVTV Production
Responsibilities
Lead the design and development of all combat-related features, from high-level vision to detailed mechanics
Champion the 3C's (Character, Controls, Camera) to ensure a cohesive and highly polished player experience
Define what makes combat 'feel good' through a deep understanding of player psychology, moment-to-moment feedback, and fluid gameplay
Create and maintain design documentation, including combat systems outlines, move sets, enemy behaviors, and more
Collaborate with engineering, art, and animation teams to ensure your designs are feasible and executed to the highest quality
Prototype new combat mechanics and features in-engine
Mentor and provide guidance to other designers on the team
Conduct playtests, gather feedback, and iterate on designs
Stay up to date with industry trends and new technologies to push the boundaries of combat design
Qualification
Required
10+ years of professional experience in game design, with a significant focus on combat design
Shipped at least one title in a lead or principal role
Deep understanding of gameplay mechanics, player feedback loops, and the principles of game feel
Expertise in the 3C's and how they influence player perception and engagement
Proficiency with Unreal Engine, specifically blueprints and prototyping
Exceptional communication and leadership skills. You can articulate your vision clearly and inspire a team
Company
Skydance
Skydance is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create high quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences.
201-500 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Skydance has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (48)
2024 (39)
2023 (33)
2022 (53)
2021 (44)
2020 (53)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$1.68BKey Investors
JP MorganKohlberg Kravis RobertsRedBird Capital Partners
2025-08-07IPO
2023-07-11Debt Financing· $1B
2022-10-13Private Equity· $400M
Leadership Team
Brian Green
Character Supervisor
Jon Weinbach
President, Skydance Sports
Recent News
2025-12-18
San Bernardino Sun
2025-11-20
Company data provided by crunchbase