Gardens Interactive is a pioneering game development studio committed to creating immersive and socially engaging gaming experiences. Founded by industry veterans behind acclaimed titles such as Journey, Firewatch, and Guild Wars 2, our studio emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity. We believe that games possess the unique power to connect people, foster community, and inspire meaningful interactions. Our mission is to craft lush, dynamic worlds that not only entertain but also cultivate lasting relationships among players. As a fully remote, distributed team across North America, we prioritize flexibility, diversity, and transparency, ensuring every team member’s voice is valued and heard. We strive to develop titles that are critically acclaimed and commercially successful, with a focus on live-service games that evolve with our community.

About The Role

We are seeking a talented and passionate Gameplay Designer specializing in creatures to join our creative team. In this role, you will be instrumental in shaping the core inhabitants of our worlds—designing, refining, and implementing creature behaviors that enhance player engagement and immersion. Your work will involve creating responsive, intelligent, and memorable creature interactions across combat and non-combat scenarios within an online multiplayer environment. You will collaborate closely with engineers, artists, animators, and audio designers to bring your creature concepts to life, ensuring they seamlessly integrate into our game’s ecosystem. As a key member of the design team, you will own the development of creature abilities, behaviors, and movement systems, balancing challenge and fun to deliver compelling multiplayer encounters. Your expertise will help create a vibrant, living world that feels alive, dynamic, and full of opportunities for meaningful player interactions.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in gameplay or creature design within the gaming industry
• Strong understanding of multiplayer game mechanics and player engagement strategies
• Proficiency in Unreal Engine, including Behavior Trees, Blackboards, and Blueprint scripting
• Experience with the Gameplay Ability System (GAS) in Unreal Engine is a plus
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills
• Strong playtesting, iteration, and problem-solving abilities
• Knowledge of creature biology, ecology, or systemic worldbuilding is advantageous
• Passion for ecological design, emergent gameplay, and natural ecosystems
• Bachelor’s degree in Game Design, Computer Science, or related field, or equivalent experience
• 
  

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, and iterate creature behaviors for both combat and non-combat scenarios in an online multiplayer setting
• Implement and maintain creature systems using Unreal Engine Behavior Trees and Blackboards from initial concept through final polish
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams including engineers, artists, animators, and audio designers to ensure cohesive creature integration
• Balance creature abilities and behaviors to create engaging, fun, and challenging multiplayer encounters
• Partner with animation teams to fine-tune movement sets and provide pathfinding logic for realistic locomotion
• Act as a bridge between art, animation, and engineering to troubleshoot visual state logic and optimize creature performance
• Advocate for player experience, ensuring creature interactions are surprising, memorable, and fun
• Contribute to systemic worldbuilding and ecological design to enhance the realism and depth of the game environment
• Participate in regular playtests and provide feedback to refine creature behaviors and gameplay balance
• 
  

Benefits

• Competitive salary and transparent pay structure
• Stock options and equity participation
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage (100% for individuals, 90% for dependents)
• Life insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage
• 401(k) plan with company matching (U.S.) / RRSP and DPSP contributions (Canada)
• Paid parental leave to support work-life balance
• Biannual company retreats fostering team bonding and collaboration
• Continued education allowances to support professional growth
• Flexible, fully remote work environment across North American time zones
• 
  

Equal Opportunity

Gardens Interactive is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive environment for all employees. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. We encourage applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other protected status. We believe that diverse perspectives make our team stronger and our games better, and we are committed to providing an equitable and supportive environment for everyone.

Are you looking for remote jobs near your area? At Yulys, thousands of employers are looking for exceptional talent like yours. Find a perfect job now.