Class Designer

Job Title: Class Designer - Diablo | Irvine, CA or Albany, NY

Location: Albany, NY, and Irvine, CA

Job Description:

Team Name:

Diablo

Job Description:

We Need You

The minions of Hell are growing stronger…

Join us as we continue to shape the Diablo universe! Diablo games are action RPG experiences with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish Dungeons, and legendary loot. Come work with us, and together, we'll create something amazing. Our team of passionate developers is growing.

We are seeking a Class Designer to assist in the creation of new ARPG experiences within one of Blizzard's most iconic worlds, Diablo. In this role, you will assist in the creation and development of character classes, working closely with cross-functional teams to ensure every class feels distinct, balanced, and deeply satisfying to play. The ideal candidate has a deep knowledge of Diablo games and other action RPGs, a longstanding passion for playing video games, and experience in the games industry.

This role offers a flexible hybrid work week, with a mix of remote and on-site days. While hybrid is the standard arrangement, you're also welcome to work on-site full-time if you prefer. Our primary studio locations are in Albany, NY, and Irvine, CA.

Responsibilities

• Create, implement, and tune character classes, abilities, and traits to ensure they are fun, balanced, and engaging.

• Work closely with designers, programmers, and artists to integrate classes and features seamlessly into the game.

• Thoroughly test your work to identify and fix bugs, balance issues, and other problems.

• Find innovative solutions to design challenges, ensuring the game remains fun and accessible.

• Analyze player behavior and feedback to make informed decisions about class design and balance.

• Operate with a high degree of autonomy when executing assigned features, efficiently managing day‑to‑day tasks while aligning closely with design leadership.

• Utilize tools like Excel for data analysis and balancing, and possibly scripting languages for implementing and testing features.

• Demonstrate initiative and strong problem‑solving skills when addressing design and balance challenges.

Minimum Requirements

• 5+ years of experience as a designer in the game industry.

• Strong technical foundation in gameplay systems, balance, and iterative development.

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills for evaluating systems, interpreting player behavior, and iterating on design.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.

• Strong sense of what makes a fun and compelling experience for classes and systems.

• Familiarity with scripting languages and a strong foundation in math.

Bonus Points

• Strong understanding of ARPG gameplay systems, including character builds, itemization, and endgame progression; familiarity with Diablo is a plus.

• Experience contributing to live game updates or seasonal content.

• Comfort using proprietary tools.

Your Platform

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry's most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

Our World

Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, Candy Crush and Bubble Witch. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!

Our ability to build immersive and innovative worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment.  We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered!

The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.

Rewards

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. 

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $29.81 - $55.14 Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role's range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.