Riyo Games hiring Senior Game Designer, Remote

Riyo Games is seeking an experienced Senior Game Designer with a strong passion for JRPG combat systems and progression design to join its growing international development team. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the studio’s flagship project, Threads of Time, a retro-inspired 2.5D narrative-driven JRPG designed to evoke the charm and emotional depth of classic genre-defining titles while delivering modern gameplay polish and technical excellence.

This role is ideal for a designer who thrives at the intersection of creative vision, technical implementation, and collaborative development, and who is excited about shaping player experiences through meaningful combat mechanics, progression systems, and immersive gameplay encounters.

Job Overview : Senior Game Designer

Category	Details
Company Name	Riyo Games
Job Title	Senior Game Designer (Combat & Systems – JRPG)
Employment Type	Full-Time
Work Mode	Remote (Province-restricted within Canada)
Eligible Locations	Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia
Project Assignment	Threads of Time (2.5D Narrative JRPG)
Salary Range	$90,000 – $110,000 CAD annually
Experience Required	Minimum 5+ years industry experience
Engine Requirement	Unreal Engine 5
Preferred Technical Skill	Unreal Gameplay Ability System (GAS)
Industry Sector	Video Game Development
Department	Game Design – Combat & Systems
Reporting Structure	Works cross-functionally with Art, Engineering, Animation, Audio & VFX teams
Documentation Requirement	Strong professional design documentation expected
Shipped Titles Requirement	At least one shipped title required

About Riyo Games

Riyo Games is an emerging independent studio dedicated to crafting retro-inspired JRPG experiences that celebrate the emotional storytelling, mechanical depth, and artistic charm of the golden era of role-playing games. The studio’s mission centers on creating games that reconnect players with the magic of childhood gaming memories while introducing modern systems, production quality, and accessibility.

The team behind Riyo Games includes experienced developers who previously contributed to globally recognized RPG titles such as Xenoblade Chronicles, Legend of Mana, and other influential projects within the genre. Their collective experience brings both credibility and craftsmanship to the studio’s vision.

WhatsApp Group Join Now

Telegram Group Join Now

As the studio continues to expand globally, it remains committed to building a collaborative and inclusive environment that encourages creativity, experimentation, and ownership across disciplines.

Project Overview: Threads of Time

The selected candidate will contribute directly to Threads of Time, an ambitious 2.5D retro-inspired JRPG featuring time-travel storytelling across multiple historical and futuristic eras. The game blends nostalgic aesthetics with modern gameplay systems and aims to deliver an emotionally resonant player journey supported by strategic combat mechanics and layered progression systems.

The project draws inspiration from legendary titles such as Chrono Trigger and classic Final Fantasy entries while introducing fresh mechanics designed for contemporary audiences.

Combat design and progression systems represent core pillars of the gameplay experience, making this position especially critical to the title’s overall success.

Role Summary

The Senior Game Designer will take ownership of combat mechanics, progression structures, encounter balancing, and gameplay systems that define player interaction throughout the game.

This role requires a professional capable of moving seamlessly between conceptual system design, in-engine iteration, technical tuning, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and player-experience refinement.

Candidates must demonstrate the ability to transform high-level gameplay vision into polished, production-ready systems aligned with both narrative goals and technical constraints.

The selected candidate will contribute across multiple stages of production and collaborate closely with internal teams to ensure systems are engaging, balanced, and aligned with the creative direction of the project.

Primary responsibilities include:

Combat Systems Design

Designing and refining combat mechanics that support tactical depth and player expression while maintaining accessibility consistent with JRPG traditions.

Responsibilities include:

Designing enemy encounter structures
Implementing boss battle mechanics
Developing ability interactions
Balancing player-versus-enemy dynamics
Supporting combat pacing across story progression

Gameplay Implementation in Unreal Engine 5

The designer will actively work within Unreal Engine 5, implementing and iterating gameplay systems directly inside the engine environment.

This includes:

Prototyping combat features
Adjusting tuning parameters
Debugging gameplay interactions
Collaborating with engineers on system integration
Working with Unreal Gameplay Ability System (GAS)

Hands-on engine familiarity is essential for success in this role.

Progression System Development

Player progression represents a critical pillar of the gameplay experience.

Responsibilities include:

Designing skill trees and ability unlock paths
Structuring progression pacing across time periods
Supporting character growth loops
Maintaining reward clarity and motivation cycles
Ensuring balance across difficulty curves

Encounter Design Collaboration

Working alongside animation, VFX, audio, and engineering teams, the Senior Game Designer will help deliver memorable combat encounters aligned with narrative beats and gameplay milestones.

This collaboration ensures:

Combat clarity
Visual readability
Gameplay feedback consistency
Emotional storytelling integration

Documentation & Communication

Clear documentation plays a central role in cross-team alignment.

Responsibilities include:

Writing structured design documents
Maintaining implementation notes
Communicating feature intent
Supporting technical translation between departments
Adjusting documentation based on audience needs

Research & Genre Alignment

Maintaining authenticity within the JRPG genre requires familiarity with both legacy design conventions and modern expectations.

The designer will:

Analyze retro JRPG mechanics
Study modern genre evolution
Recommend improvements aligned with audience expectations
Maintain consistency with genre identity

Required Qualifications

Applicants must demonstrate strong experience designing gameplay systems within professional production environments. Required qualifications include:

Minimum 5 years experience in game development
Previous work as a combat designer or systems designer
Contribution to at least one shipped game title
Strong scripting familiarity
Experience working inside Unreal Editor
Understanding of gameplay balancing principles
Ability to translate player fantasy into mechanics
Strong documentation and communication skills
Independent problem-solving capability
Ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams

Candidates should also demonstrate passion for JRPG mechanics and storytelling systems.

Preferred Qualifications

Although not mandatory, the following experience is considered highly beneficial:

Experience using Unreal Gameplay Ability System (GAS)
Residency within Ontario or Quebec provinces
Experience working on narrative-driven RPG projects
Familiarity with time-travel storytelling structures
Experience supporting retro-inspired game pipelines

🌍 Location Requirements

This is a remote position, however applicants must legally reside within one of the following Canadian provinces:

Ontario
Quebec
Nova Scotia
British Columbia

Applications from outside these provinces cannot be considered due to employment eligibility requirements.

Compensation & Benefits

Riyo Games provides a competitive compensation structure designed to support both professional stability and long-term career growth.

Salary Range

Compensation Category	Details
Annual Salary	$90,000 – $110,000 CAD
Bonus Structure	Not specified
Overtime Policy	Not specified

Benefits Package

Employees receive access to a comprehensive benefits program including:

Benefit Type	Details
Medical Insurance	Included
Dental Coverage	Included
Vision Coverage	Included
Life Insurance	Included
Employee Assistance Program	Included
Family Assistance Support	Included
Paid Vacation	4 weeks annually
December Break	1 additional scheduled week

Workplace Culture & Environment

Riyo Games emphasizes a workplace culture centered on collaboration, inclusion, creativity, and ownership. Employees are encouraged to:

Contribute ideas across departments
Influence gameplay direction
Explore creative solutions
Strengthen professional skills
Participate in collaborative development cycles

Team members work alongside experienced developers from globally recognized RPG franchises, creating opportunities for mentorship and professional growth.

Diversity & Inclusion Commitment

Riyo Games is committed to building an equitable and inclusive workplace environment. Applicants are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every listed qualification. The studio values diverse perspectives and recognizes that professional growth continues throughout a developer’s career. Applications from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged.

Riyo Games welcomes applications from candidates with disabilities. Accommodation support is available during all stages of the recruitment process upon request.

Applicants requiring assistance may contact: contact@riyogames.com

Support will be tailored to individual accessibility needs.

Application Encouragement

Candidates who are passionate about JRPG systems design, narrative gameplay experiences, and retro-inspired mechanics are strongly encouraged to apply.

Even if qualifications are not perfectly aligned, applicants with relevant enthusiasm, transferable skills, or genre passion may still be strong contributors to the project.

Riyo Games looks forward to connecting with talented designers ready to help shape the future of Threads of Time and contribute to the next generation of memorable JRPG experiences.