Senior Game Designer
Senior Game Designer at Fanatics TCG, a new Seattle-based trading card game studio. You'll lead set and mechanic design for major releases, own systems/rules/formats from concept through launch, and build design frameworks and mentoring practices while staying hands-on — working onsite in Seattle five days a week.
- Compensation
- $130K–$160K / yr
- Location
- Seattle, United States
- Work setup
- Onsite
- Seniority
- Senior
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- Not specified
- Category
- Design
- Posted
Must have
- 5+ years of professional game design experience, including substantial work on trading card games, collectible card games, strategy games, or other systems-driven titles
- A record of owning complex game systems or major releases from early design through production
- Experience creating or improving design processes, documentation, and team practices that support high-quality work at scale
- Strong understanding of systems design, rules architecture, balance, game economies, metagame health, and long-term content development
- Ability to lead through influence, give clear feedback, and guide other designers while remaining hands-on
- Clear written and verbal communication skills, sound design judgment, and comfort working across disciplines in a fast-moving studio
- Work onsite in the Seattle office five days per week
Full description
About Us
Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.
About the Team
Fanatics TCG is a new Seattle-based trading card game studio within the Fanatics Collectibles family, founded by industry veterans with a long-term mandate to build enduring franchises that live across tabletop, digital, community, and culture. We're looking for skilled and passionate talent from the games industry and beyond to help us create the best trading card games in the world.
Who We Are Looking For
As a Senior Game Designer, you will help define the game and shape how the design team organizes and executes its work. You will own major systems and releases while establishing the frameworks, documentation, review practices, and decision-making processes that keep the team aligned. This is a hands-on senior role for a designer who can solve difficult design problems, guide the work of others, and protect the long-term health and consistency of the game.
Responsibilities
- Lead set-level and mechanic design for major releases, including prototyping, playtesting, iteration, balance, and final design handoff
- Own the design and evolution of systems, rules, formats, and other major features from concept through implementation
- Establish clear design frameworks, documentation standards, review practices, and workflows that help the team make consistent decisions and execute across multiple releases
- Review design work, provide actionable feedback, and mentor other designers while remaining deeply involved in hands-on design
- Partner with product, creative, development, and playtesting teams to resolve tradeoffs and maintain alignment from early concept through launch