we're hiring
Expect competitive salaries, flexible work hours, unlimited vacation and sick time, health/dental/vision with zero deductibles, profit sharing, 401(k) matching and a growing list of benefits. Though our company is based in the Bay Area, California, we also offer robust remote work practices for those out of state or even out of country.
Senior Gameplay Programmer
Counterplay Games is looking for a Senior Gameplay Programmer responsible for implementing gameplay systems and tools for our encounter, narrative and mission design teams in Unreal Engine 4 for our next-gen PC and Console AAA video game. They'll collaborate with artists, writers and other engineers to provide the best possible experience and value to our players.
Our next game is heavily combat-focused, so the ideal candidate must adore 3D action combat games and action RPGs.
Responsibilities:
Implement and maintain gameplay systems including combat mechanics, enemy behaviors, navigation, game modes, rewards, loot systems, event-based encounters and quest objectives
Write clear, maintainable, functional, and usable code
Profile, optimize, and debug code
Mentor less experienced engineers as needed
Requirements:
Fluent in C++, 3+ years professional programming experience
3+ years game development experience in AAA games
Strong programming generalist with willingness to contribute in many areas
Exceptional skill with data structures, logic, linear algebra, 3D math and distributed systems
Ability to design and implement systems and APIs used by non-programmers
Comfortable with extending and improving an established code base
Pluses:
Experience with shipping a title in Unreal Engine 4
Experience with at least one AAA shipped title, preferably on consoles
Experience working on client / server gameplay systems
Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or related degree
Specialist in at least one of these areas: animation, AI, optimization, tools, networking
Please send a short introduction, subject header for the position and a link to your past work to: jobs@counterplay.co
Next-Gen Platform Engineer
Counterplay Games is looking for a Next-Gen Platform Engineer responsible for platform development for our PC and Console AAA video game.
Responsibilities:
Implement and maintain systems and tools to support next-gen console platform development
Research, define, extend, and maintain production, build, and patching pipelines
Write clear, maintainable, functional, and usable code
Profile, optimize, refactor, and debug code
Requirements:
Experience with one shipped AAA title on current-gen platforms: PS4, Xbox One, or Switch
Fluent in C++, 3+ years professional programming experience
3+ years game development experience in AAA games
Deep understanding of current-gen console requirements, limitations, certification and best practices
Exceptional skill with data structures, logic and distributed systems
Comfortable with extending and improving an established code base
Pluses:
Experience with shipping a title in Unreal Engine 4
Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or related degree
Specialist in at least one of these areas: animation, AI, optimization, tools, networking
Please send a short introduction, subject header for the position and a link to your past work to: jobs@counterplay.co
Gameplay Programmer
Counterplay Games is looking for a Gameplay Programmer responsible for implementing gameplay systems and tools for our encounter and quest systems in Unreal Engine 4 for our next-gen PC and Console AAA video game. They'll collaborate closely with our design team to provide the best possible experience and value to our players.
Our next game is heavily combat-focused, so the ideal candidate must adore 3D action combat games and action RPGs.
Responsibilities:
Implement and maintain gameplay systems including event-based encounters and quest objectives
Write clear, maintainable, functional, and usable code
Profile, optimize, and debug code
Mentor less experienced engineers as needed
Requirements:
Fluent in C++, 3+ years professional programming experience
1+ years game development experience in AAA games
Exceptional skill with data structures, logic, linear algebra, 3D math and distributed systems
Ability to design and implement systems and APIs used by non-programmers
Comfortable with extending and improving an established code base
Pluses:
Experience with shipping a title in Unreal Engine 4
Experience with at least one AAA shipped title, preferably on PC or consoles
Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or related degree
Please send a short introduction, subject header for the position and a link to your past work to: jobs@counterplay.co
Combat Designer
Counterplay Games is looking for a Combat Designer responsible for designing kinesthetic and physically grounded combat in Unreal Engine 4 for our next-gen PC and Console AAA video game. They must know how to develop animation lists, frame timings, move lists and have an intuitive, analytical sense for creating visceral enemies that challenge players.
They must speak and dream about combat systems, mechanics and enemies in their waking hour or sleep.
Our next game is heavily ARPG combat-focused, so extensive knowledge about 3D action combat games and action RPGs is an ABSOLUTE MUST.
Responsibilities:
Deliver character design intent and combat flow plans with a particular focus on melee weapons
Collaborate effectively with our other teams—programmers, animation, sound, visual effects—bringing together all the best ideas into one holistic combat experience
Provide crisp feedback in order to quickly iterate on combat designs, proposing solutions as well as criticisms
Work with animators to balance and tune enemy and character movesets throughout the development process
Understand the dimensions on how to tune enemy behaviors and combat for all player skill-levels
Chip in to the overall game design, leveraging your unique perspective to help us create the best possible player experience
Continuously strive to push the quality bar higher
Requirements:
2+ years professional character or systems design experience
2+ years game development experience in AAA games, especially in real-time action combat
Must have some programming or scripting experience
Must be a self-motivated and energetic team player with a very strong work ethic and cooperative attitude
Demonstrated ability to work with a cross-disciplinary team, bringing together the best ideas into challenging combat encounters
Pluses:
Experience with shipping a title in Unreal Engine 4
Experience with at least one AAA shipped title, preferably on PC or consoles
Understanding of ERD diagrams
Please send a short introduction, subject header for the position and a link to your past work to: jobs@counterplay.co
Encounter Designer
Counterplay Games is looking for an Encounter Designer responsible for implementing enemy encounters in Unreal Engine 4 for our next-gen PC and Console AAA video game. They must know how to meld interesting layouts and challenging enemies into compelling game encounters.
Our next game is heavily ARPG combat-focused, so extensive knowledge about 3D action combat games and action RPGs is a MUST.
Responsibilities:
Deliver interesting and varied encounters with a particular focus on melee combat
Collaborate effectively with our other teams—code, animation, sound, visual effects—bringing together all the best ideas into one holistic experience
Provide crisp feedback in order to quickly iterate on concepts, proposing solutions as well as criticisms
Work with systems and content designers to balance and tune encounters throughout the game
Chip in to the overall game design, leveraging your unique perspective to help us create the best possible player experience
Continuously strive to push the quality bar higher
Requirements:
2+ years professional game design experience
2+ years game development experience in AAA games, especially in an action combat or ARPG title
Must have some programming or scripting experience
Must be a self-motivated and energetic team player with a very strong work ethic and cooperative attitude
Demonstrated ability to work with a cross-disciplinary team, bringing together the best ideas into challenging encounters
Pluses:
Experience with shipping a title in Unreal Engine 4
Experience with at least one AAA shipped title, preferably on PC or consoles
Experience working with open-world games/encounter design
Bonus points if the game focused on third-person real-time melee combat
Understanding of ERD diagrams
Please send a short introduction, subject header for the position and a link to your past work to: jobs@counterplay.co
3D Character Animator
Counterplay Games is looking for an exceptionally skilled 3D Character Animator to animate both human and non-humanoid 3D characters for our next-gen PC and Console AAA video game.
Our next game is heavily combat-focused, so the ideal candidate must adore third-person action combat games.
Responsibilities:
Create combat animations for characters, creatures, quadrapeds, bosses and other assets
Key frame animations and/or work with mocap animation data
Push the dynamic limits of weight shifts, center of gravity, anticipation, recovery and impact
Requirements:
2+ years professional animation experience
2+ years game development experience in AAA games, especially in an action combat or ARPG title
2+ years experience using Maya, Motion Builder and UE4
Pluses:
Experience with shipping a title in Unreal Engine 4
Experience with at least one AAA shipped title, preferably on PC or consoles
Technical Skills: Rigging, Scripting, FX and particle animations
Bonus points if the game focused on third-person real-time melee combat
Please send a short introduction, subject header for the position, demo reel and a link to your past work to: jobs@counterplay.co
Narrative Animator
Counterplay Games is looking for a Narrative Animator to work closely with our Art Director and Cinematics Lead for our next-gen PC and Console AAA video game to create memorable narrative moments within the bounds of technical feasibility. They will animate and breath life into the performances of our characters and game world.
Responsibilities:
Work with creative team during pre-vis process, assisting both with live-action, choreography, 3D pre-vis and keyframing
Assemble and prepare cinematic scenes. Edit, clean up and enhance mocap data shot on stage
Animate non-mocapped characters, creatures and props by hand
Requirements:
2+ years professional animation experience
2+ years game development experience in AAA games, especially in an action combat or ARPG title
High level of proficiency using Maya and Motion Builder
Expertise with UE4 Sequencer and working in-game engine environments
Good understanding of scene staging and layout
Pluses:
Experience with shipping a title in Unreal Engine 4
Experience with at least one AAA shipped title, preferably on PC or consoles
Technical Skills: Rigging, Scripting, FX and particle animations
Bonus points if you’ve focused on a story-driven narrative title
Please send a short introduction, subject header for the position, demo reel and a link to your past work to: jobs@counterplay.co
Lead Lighting Artist
Counterplay Games is looking for a Lead Lighting Artist responsible for lighting game levels for our next PC and Console AAA video game developed in Unreal Engine 4. They'll render physically based lighting data and design the lighting for cinematic sequences using real time lighting tools to next-gen quality. Lighting Artists design the lighting for both static and dynamic objects for game levels, missions, and cinematics to a high level of polish and attention to detail. They can expect to prepare game levels and sequences for demos and trailers.
Responsibilities:
Lights game levels, cinematic sequences, and trailers to a current-gen AAA quality
Sets up scene lights to match color keys and concept art, with a good understanding of lighting aesthetics and mood
Troubleshoots medium to large scale scene files and rendering issues
Optimizes lighting data for memory and framerate
Diagnoses, fixes bugs and verify the fixes for bugs
Ability to create lighting sequences through visual scripting
Creates and maintains probes for image-based lighting and reflections
Creates and maintains post-processing FX (fog, color correction, color grading, LUT, filmic, etc.)
Works with Art Director and Creative Director to contribute to the lighting style of project
Works closely with artists to ensure assets are properly set up and enforced for lighting
Works closely with designers to ensure that the correct areas are emphasized for gameplay with a clear player path
Stays informed about new developments in rendering, particularly with regard to realistic lighting and surfaces
Requirements:
Experience with shipping a title in Unreal Engine 4, leveraging both static and dynamic lighting systems
Strong knowledge of how to properly use Distance Field Ambient Occlusion
Plus: Understands the trade-offs for different Ray tracing implementations
A minimum of 2 years experience in the gaming or movie industry
Please send a short introduction, subject header for the position, demo reel, and a link to your past work to: jobs@counterplay.co
Lead VFX Artist
Counterplay Games is looking for a VFX 'Lvl80' wizard to create real-time visual effects for gameplay, environment, and cinematics for our next PC and Console AAA video game developed in Unreal Engine 4.
Our next game is heavily combat-focused, so the ideal candidate must adore 3D action combat games with a keen eye for grounded hyper-realism and Hollywood-level cinematic effects.
Responsibilities:
Create high quality real-time visual FX for combat, characters, environments and gameplay
Create, design and implement real-time particle effects using both static and animating 2D/3D elements
Create FX shaders with node-based shader networks
Create FX textures (color, normal, specular, ambient occlusion, height, and incandescent maps)
Optimize visual FX for performance for both framerate and memory
Modularize FX with an eye for clear organization and data-driven design
Establish and drive forward the vision for overall tone, consistency, and emotional impact with Art and Project Leads
Pluses:
Experience with shipping a title in Unreal Engine 4, including Cascade Particle Systems and/or Niagara
A minimum of 2 years experience in the gaming or movie industry
Experience with Adobe Suite for painting and editing textures
Good general knowledge of Maya, competent working with joints and locators, keyframing, rigid body simulations, hard surface modeling, and UV mapping
Experience with Houdini FX and Nuke, or other node-based tool kits
Please send a short introduction, subject header for the position, demo reel, and a link to your past work to: jobs@counterplay.co
QA Test Analyst
Counterplay Games is looking for a QA Test Analyst to perform functional tests for our next PC and Console AAA video game developed in Unreal Engine 4. They will identify, analyze, report and assist in resolving issues impacting our title.
Our next game is heavily combat-focused, so the ideal candidate must live and breath 3D action combat games and action RPGs. Attention to detail is a critical requirement of the role, as is a highly communicative, amicable, team focused and mature demeanor.
Responsibilities:
Perform validation and exploratory test coverage using different testing techniques
Perform issue reporting, research, analysis, confirmation and support resolution
Perform a variety of QA related support tasks for internal development team
Assist in collaborating work across disciplines within the development team to help drive project to completion
Maintain a strong knowledge of the project design and scheduling changes to support QA test effectiveness, focus and reporting
Actively develop and improve skill set and abilities by keeping aware of QA industry trends and techniques
Pluses:
Experience with shipping a title in Unreal Engine 4
Minimum of 2 years in Tester Analyst or equivalent position preferred
Excellent gameplay and critical analysis skills and passion for video games
Excellent communication, organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills
Experience with PC and current generation PlayStation platforms and peripherals
Experience in quality assurance/control testing
Experience in foundation level testing techniques preferred
Experience with JIRA database systems preferred
Please send a short introduction, subject header for the position, and a link to your past work to: jobs@counterplay.co