I

Insomniac Games

Develops award-winning video game franchises

VFX Artist

ContractUpdated on 10/3/2026
$75 - $85/hr
Mid
Remote in USA
Remote

About the job

Requirements
  • Possess at least an intermediate ability to navigate and use digital content creation software such as Maya, Houdini, or equivalent.
  • Have an intermediate foundation in computer graphics fundamentals and artistic analysis.
  • Demonstrate professionalism in attendance, communication, reading comprehension, receiving feedback, and working in a production setting.
  • Be able to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; interpret technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form; and deal with abstract and concrete variables.
  • Be proficient in Maya, including working with joints and locators, keyframing, rigid body simulations, hard surface modeling, and UV mapping.
  • Be proficient in Photoshop for painting and editing textures, and with node-based shader networks.
  • Have good observation skills and the ability to use reference materials and work independently.
  • Have proficiency in animation and timing skills.
Responsibilities
  • Create, design, and implement real-time particle effects using static and animating 2D/3D elements.
  • Place visual effects across game environments, gameplay, and cinematics.
  • Create effect textures, including color, normal, specular, ambient occlusion, height, and incandescent maps.
  • Create effect shaders with node-based shader networks.
  • Create simple geometry and UV sets.
  • Optimize effects for framerate and memory.
  • Collaborate with other development departments to ensure effects are implemented appropriately in the game engine.
  • Understand and contribute to the overall art style of the game.
  • Orchestrate effects events by layering and timing different effects to create a believable scene.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.
Desired Qualifications
  • Knowledge of other visual-effects software.
  • A solid traditional arts background.

About the company

What does the company do? Insomniac Games creates and develops award-winning video games for multiple platforms, building iconic franchises such as Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet & Clank, and Resistance over a 25-year period. How does its product work? Its games are interactive experiences where players control characters in immersive worlds—exploring, combat, puzzle-solving, and progressing through stories, with high-quality visuals and polished gameplay across platforms (notably PlayStation). How is it different from competitors? It combines long-running, beloved franchises with strong workplace culture recognition and a history of multiplatform releases, along with close collaboration with console makers to deliver notable first-party titles. What is the goal? To continue delivering engaging, character-driven adventures and expand its portfolio of enduring franchises while maintaining a positive, award-winning workplace and attracting top talent.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

Acquired

Total Funding

$229M

Headquarters

Burbank, California

Founded

1994

Get referred to Insomniac Games

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Sony launched Wolverine worldwide on September 15, 2026, signaling strong first-party commitment.
  • Insomniac still has Venom in development and Spider-Man 3 reportedly in production.
  • Wolverine's patch cadence shows active support and rapid response to player feedback after launch.

What critics are saying

  • Wolverine's launch backlash over scent trails and accessibility hurts Insomniac's reputation in September 2026.
  • The 2024 data breach exposed Venom and Spider-Man 3 roadmaps, weakening secrecy and timing control.
  • If Marvel fatigue hits, Insomniac's all-Marvel pipeline becomes a single-franchise dependence risk by 2030.

What makes Insomniac Games unique

  • Sony-backed Insomniac ships Marvel blockbusters exclusively on PS5, including Wolverine on September 15, 2026.
  • Insomniac owns a proven superhero pipeline: Spider-Man sold 50 million copies combined since 2018.
  • Its games combine cinematic storytelling, visceral combat, and DualSense-specific design for PlayStation 5.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Company Match

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Wellness Program

Employee Discounts

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

↑ 8%

1 year growth

↑ 8%

2 year growth

↑ 8%
Khel Now
Oct 2nd, 2026
God of War Laufey pre-orders top PlayStation charts; second only to GTA 6.

God of War Laufey pre-orders top PlayStation charts; second only to GTA 6. Gaming enthusiast covering the stories behind the games Khel Now love. Published at: October 2, 2026 at 1:30 AM Modified at: October 2, 2026 at 1:30 AM (Courtesy: Santa Monica Studio, Sony PlayStation) The game is scheduled to launch on February 16, 2026. Sony and Insomniac Games have recently announced that God of War Laufey pre-orders are now live and it is already gaining quite a momentum before it's February 16, 2026 release. According to the PlayStation Store rankings, the game is already the 2nd most pre-ordered game in most regions. It is only trailing behind the GTA 6 Ultimate Edition, which isn't a surprise. Let's check out some more details in this article. God of War Laufey could become PlayStation's biggest hit in 2027. Pre-orders have just started for GOW Laufey and it is already showing great momentum in the rankings. The game is already dominating the pre-orders charts on PlayStation, trailing only behind GTA VI Ultimate Edition in most of the regions. Major regions include America, the UK, France, Spain, Germany, India, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Mexico and more. Meanwhile, Sony has a few months to provide gameplay, story and other details before the game's release on February 16, 2027. With the current pre-order frenzy, it's possible that Laufey might be one of PlayStation's biggest releases of next year. Once GTA 6 releases on November 19, 2026, there is no doubt that God of War Laufey will take the number 1 spot in the rankings. Conclusion. When it comes to Santa Monica Studio's God of War titles, they have been both commercially and critically successful. Seeing the dominating rankings of the game on PlayStation charts, GOW Laufey appears to be the next blockbuster PlayStation exclusive title in 2027. Proper marketing for this game has not even started yet. Khel Now can expect more gameplay, story content and a trailer coming in the upcoming months. When is God of War: Laufey releasing? How are God of War: Laufey pre-orders performing? Is God of War: Laufey starring kratos? For more updates, follow Khel Now Gaming on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join its community on Telegram & Whatsapp. Summarize using AI: Mahaksh Chauhan is a gaming journalist with a soft spot for old-school RPGs and turn-based games. With a keen eye for storytelling and a strong understanding of game mechanics, he enjoys exploring what makes games special beyond just the gameplay. Inspired by titles like Persona, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Skyrim, Mahaksh brings his own perspective to gaming stories. When he's not writing or playing, he can usually be found watching anime or cheering for WWE superstars.

MP1st
Oct 1st, 2026
Marvel's Wolverine new update 1.002 Uses QSSR by default.

Marvel's Wolverine new update 1.002 Uses QSSR by default. Insomniac Games has a new update out for Marvel's Wolverine, and this should be one appreciated by players gaming on the base PS5. Marvel's Wolverine update 1.002 | 1.002.000 adds QSSR by default (Quick Spectral Super Resolution), which is a feature that's not exclusive to PS5 Pro owners. Just a few weeks ago, Naughty Dog boss Neil Druckmann confirmed that the studio wasn't done with The Last of Us franchise. Before MP1st dive into that, read on for the changes made to Wolverine's debut game on PS5. Marvel's Wolverine on PS5 updated to version 1.002.000 on october 1. Today's changelog lists the following changes: * Uses QSSR on PS5, on by default * Fixes various UI, Photo Mode, Out-of-Bounds, and Visual polish issues * Addresses some progression issues and crashes experienced by a small percentage of players * Fixes Accessibility issues with Navigation Assist, Lock-On, High Contrast, and Screen Reader behavior * Addresses several localization issues across supported languages As for QSSR, Sony has a new blog about it explaining the feature. But for a quick rundown, read on. Per Sony: Today, MP1st is excited to announce Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR): a new performance tier of AI upscaling. Born from Project Amethyst, its AI graphics collaboration with AMD, this quick new evolution of PSSR is built on two key innovations: * A streamlined neural network architecture * A hand-tuned implementation that maximizes performance on PS5 With these, MP1st is bringing the benefits of AI-guided upscaling to PS5. While PSSR remains the gold standard on PS5 Pro, QSSR provides some notable improvements to both image detail and image stability on PS5. Mike Fitzgerald, Head of Technology / Insomniac Games had this to say about the tech: "Its team at Insomniac works hard to make sure each of its games is a showcase of PlayStation hardware, and MP1st is excited for Marvel's Wolverine to be one of the first titles to bring this new QSSR technology to players. QSSR adds more pixel-level clarity and stability to its environments, bringing out extra detail amidst the busy streets of Madripoor, the dense alleyways of Shinjuku, and many other areas across Logan's epic journey. It's a perfect companion to the launch of Marvel's Wolverine, and it brings a great taste of the PS5 Pro experience to its players on PS5. Personally, I love seeing how the PlayStation tech teams continually improve the PS5 platform, and I'm excited for more games to make use of QSSR in the future!" Expect more first-party PlayStation games to be updated with this feature soon. While MP1st eagerly await more news about Resident Evil Veronica, the in-development remake of the 2000 entry in the franchise, it seems more of these remakes are on the way. Follow MP1st on: This website contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, MP1st may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support its work. Learn more on its affiliate page. Alex co. Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

Exputer
Sep 26th, 2026
Insomniac adds Senses toggles to Wolverine after scent trail backlash.

Insomniac adds Senses toggles to Wolverine after scent trail backlash. The change follows community backlash over the game's guided visual and audio cues. Story Highlights * Update 1.001.006 adds on/off Senses toggles to Marvel's Wolverine. * Players can now disable Whisky Bottle Scent Trails, Material Crate Audio Clues, and Nightmare Door Roots. * The update also fixes several community-reported bugs and crashes. Insomniac has released Update 1.001.006 for Marvel's Wolverine, adding new on/off Senses toggles for three of the game's guided cues: Whisky Bottle Scent Trails, Material Crate Audio Clues, and Nightmare Door Roots. You can now turn off the blue trail. The change follows community criticism of the game's heavy use of visual scent trails and audio cues, which many players felt did too much of the exploration and puzzle-solving for them. Story-critical Senses moments will still appear regardless of the toggle settings. You can watch the full comparison here (Credits: Nikfor) The update also addresses several crashes identified through crash logs and community reports, fixes a bug where players could get stuck sliding down a tree during "The One That Got Away," corrects misaligned claws in Photo Mode, resolves an issue where objects could turn white during extended play sessions, and fixes an overlapping bathroom sign in the casino caused by a UV mapping error.

The Movie Blog
Sep 21st, 2026
New Marvel's Wolverine update adjusts controversial Scent Trails.

New Marvel's Wolverine update adjusts controversial Scent Trails. September 21, 2026 A New Marvel's Wolverine update has arrived to address one of the most frequent complaints from players since the game launched. Developer Insomniac Games has officially nerfed the glowing scent trails that guide Logan through the environment, a feature that had become a frequent target of online mockery and criticism for being overly intrusive. The game has faced significant discourse regarding its hand-holdy design choices. Players have frequently pointed out that the combination of the scent trail, constant voice lines, and persistent on-screen markers often makes it impossible to get lost, which some argue removes the sense of exploration. This feedback mirrors recent industry discussions surrounding visual cues in other major titles, where players have expressed frustration with design elements that feel condescending or unnecessary. This latest adjustment is a direct response to the community backlash. According to the official patch notes, the hotfix modifies the presentation of both the Scent Trails and Audio Sense indicators. The studio has reduced the opacity of these visuals to ensure they are less intense during gameplay. While this change provides immediate relief for those bothered by the visual clutter, the developer is already looking toward more permanent solutions for players who prefer a cleaner screen. Future options for navigation. Beyond the immediate visual tweaks, Insomniac Games is actively evaluating how to further improve the Senses feature. The studio confirmed that they are exploring the possibility of adding toggleable options in a future update. This would potentially allow players to turn off the scent trails and audio indicators entirely, granting them more control over their experience. While the developer has not provided a specific timeline for when these additional settings might be implemented, the acknowledgment suggests a commitment to refining the game based on ongoing player feedback. Stability improvements. In addition to the navigation adjustments, the hotfix addresses technical performance issues. The update includes fixes for common crashes that have been experienced by a small percentage of players since the game's release. These stability improvements are part of a broader effort by the team to polish the experience following launch. James Stevenson, the community director at Insomniac, recently noted that the team has been working hard to process and implement player feedback. As the studio continues to monitor the situation, fans can likely expect further updates aimed at balancing accessibility with the desired level of challenge. The game has already garnered significant attention, with the lead actor recently describing his role as the honor of a lifetime and expressing deep gratitude for the opportunity to bring the iconic character to life.

TheGamer
Sep 21st, 2026
Marvel's Wolverine has absurd lesbian censorship in some regions, it's claimed.

Marvel's Wolverine has absurd lesbian censorship in some regions, it's claimed. Published Sep 21, 2026, 4:29 PM EDT Steven is a seasoned writer specializing in the video game and technological fields, with years of experience creating reviews, features, and industry analysis. Passionate about the gaming world and its evolving culture, Steven has always wanted to combine his enjoyment of writing and love for gaming in a way that can provide insightful coverage for players and enthusiasts alike. As if Marvel's Wolverine wasn't facing enough criticism for some questionable game design choices regarding difficulty and navigation, Insomniac's latest adventure is under fire this time for a completely different, and indefensible reason. As noted by Kotaku, several players have started reporting that certain versions of Marvel's Wolverine have been facing heavy censorship surrounding some of the game's LGBT characters, and any references to their relationships. Marvel's Wolverine's latest controversy isn't A great look. According to players like Squeakyyyy on Reddit, one region being subject to the extreme censorship around same-sex relationships is the Middle East, which sees copies of the game blurring photos of Mystique and her Tyger together, and censoring all dialogue referring to their relationship both in the captions and cutscenes by cutting out the audio entirely. Understandably, the potential discoveries have been met with plenty of confusion and frustration from players over why Insomniac would allow these changes to be made at all, let alone not offering a way to bypass them for players who want the full experience in these regions. While Gamerant can't verify if every one of these instances is intentional or in the game itself, the censorship has also been gaining attention from less-than-desirable crowds cheering over the absurd removals. This wouldn't be A first for Insomniac. Although Insomniac is yet to release an official statement regarding the censorship changes in certain regions, the shockingly high sales figures are likely the biggest contributing factor, considering the uncensored presence of LGBT content would have resulted in Marvel's Wolverine being banned in several countries, and even some regions in the Middle East where the displays are not only illegal, but can even result in life-threatening punishments. What makes the social media posts even more believable is that this isn't even the first time Insomniac Games has faced backlash over LGBT censorship either, with Marvel's Spider-Man 2 having removed all the in-game Pride flags and heavily edited side quests featuring openly gay characters. With the new coming just as Marvel's Wolverine was gaining some trust back for fixing the controversial scent trails, it's an even more disappointing sight to see one of the few parts fans have been praising about the experience be removed for countless players. * OpenCritic Reviews - Top Critic Avg: 79/100 Critics Rec: 65% * Released - September 15, 2026 * ESRB - Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases * Developer(s) - Insomniac Games * Publisher(s) - Sony Interactive Entertainment