Senior Manager, Game Design - Unpublished R&D Product

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 Manager, Game Design at Riot, you will shape, refine, and elevate player experiences through clear design direction, strong craft judgment, and deep player empathy. Your design leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to work across disciplines will help teams create experiences that feel cohesive, distinctive, and worthy of players’ time.

As a Senior Manager, Game Design at Riot China Studio, you will define and guide the game’s creative and design vision for a fast-paced new title. You will work closely with a lean internal team and external development partners to ensure gameplay, feature direction, and execution align with Riot’s quality bar and player expectations. You will make thoughtful decisions about core game design, audience needs, and IP authenticity while helping the team move with speed in an ambiguous development environment. You will report to the Head of China Studio.

Responsibilities

• Define and uphold the game’s design vision, core gameplay direction, and player experience goals from concept through development
• Review and guide major design decisions, ensuring features align with player needs, product goals, and Riot’s quality expectations
• Translate player insight, product context, and development realities into clear design direction and actionable priorities
• Partner closely with internal developers and external co-development teams to align on design intent, execution quality, and iteration plans
• Evaluate trade-offs, identify risks, and make agile decisions that help the team respond to feedback, data, and changing development needs
• Lead and support a small design team by setting clear expectations, giving feedback, and fostering a collaborative, craft-focused environment

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional experience in game design, including meaningful leadership responsibility on shipped titles
• Experience defining gameplay vision, feature direction, or holistic player experience for a live, in-development, or shipped game
• Proven experience working closely with external development partners, co-development teams, or publishers to deliver high-quality game experiences
• Strong ability to operate in ambiguous environments and drive alignment across design, production, and cross-functional stakeholders
• Strong understanding of players in China and the local market context
• Fluency in written and spoken Chinese

Desired Qualifications

• 2+ years of people management or craft leadership experience within game development teams
• Experience shipping mobile or cross-platform games in a design leadership role
• Experience working 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!