Senior Manager, Game Design

Riot Games was established in 2006 by entrepreneurial gamers who believe that player-focused game development can result in great games. In 2009, Riot released its debut title League of Legends to critical and player acclaim. As the most played video game in the world, over 100 million play every month. Players form the foundation of our community and it’s for them that we continue to evolve and improve the League of Legends experience.

We’re looking for humble but ambitious, razor-sharp professionals who can teach us a thing or two. We promise to return the favor. Like us, you take play seriously; you’re passionate about games. We embrace those who see things differently, aren’t afraid to experiment, and who have a healthy disregard for constraints.

That's where you come in.

As a Senior Game Designer at Riot, you will help shape and refine player experiences through strong design craft, thoughtful problem solving, and deep player empathy.

Your ability to design clear, compelling gameplay experiences and collaborate effectively across disciplines will help the team create features and systems that feel cohesive, engaging, and worthy of players’ time.

As a Game Designer III at Riot China Studio, you will own meaningful areas of game design for a fast-paced new title.

You will work closely with a lean internal team and external development partners to help ensure gameplay features, systems, and moment-to-moment experiences align with product goals, player expectations, and Riot’s quality bar.

You will contribute hands-on design work, bring clarity to complex problems, and make thoughtful trade-offs that help the team move quickly in an ambiguous development environment.

You will report to the Head of China Studio.

Responsibilities:

• Design and iterate on gameplay systems, features, and player experiences that support the game’s overall vision and product goals
• Translate high-level direction into clear design goals, feature requirements, and actionable design solutions
• Create design documentation, frameworks, and player experience goals that help internal and external teams execute with clarity
• Partner closely with production, art, design, and external co-development teams to align on design intent, priorities, and implementation details
• Use playtest feedback, team input, market awareness, and player empathy to improve features and inform design decisions
• Identify design risks, evaluate trade-offs, and propose practical solutions that balance quality, scope, and development realities
• Take ownership of a product area or feature set and drive it from concept through implementation, iteration, and polish
• Contribute to a collaborative team environment by giving and receiving thoughtful feedback and helping raise the quality of design work across the team

Required Qualifications:

• 6+ years of professional experience in game design or related game development roles, including meaningful contribution to shipped titles
• Experience designing gameplay systems, features, or player-facing content for a live, in-development, or shipped game
• Strong understanding of design fundamentals, systems thinking, and player motivation
• Ability to turn ambiguous problems into clear design approaches and work effectively with cross-functional partners
• Experience collaborating with implementation partners such as engineers, artists, producers, or external development teams
• Strong communication skills and the ability to express design intent clearly through documentation, discussion, and feedback
• Strong understanding of players in China and the local market context
• Fluency in written and spoken Chinese

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience shipping mobile or cross-platform games
• Experience working on action, multiplayer, or systems-driven game experiences
• Experience collaborating with external development partners or co-development teams
• Familiarity with established IP and translating it into compelling gameplay experiences
• Fluency in written and spoken English

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about players' experiences, this could be your role!