Full-Time

Gameplay Animator – Senior

Confirmed live in the last 24 hours

Bonfire Studios

Bonfire Studios

51-200 employees

Independent game developer creating immersive experiences

Gaming

Compensation Overview

$153.1k - $196.5kAnnually

+ Equity + Comprehensive Benefits Package

Senior

Irvine, CA, USA

This is a hybrid position, which implies that the candidate will need to work in-office some days.

Category
Animation
Art, Graphics & Animation
Required Skills
Animation

You match the following Bonfire Studios's candidate preferences

Employers are more likely to interview you if you match these preferences:

Degree
Experience
Requirements
  • Have proven experience creating high quality, in-game animations, ideally on multiple shipped titles.
  • Are excited by the competitive multiplayer combat space and understand the importance animation plays there.
  • Have a keen understanding of combat systems and exceptional skill in crafting satisfying, impactful assets to drive those systems.
  • Have experience developing animation systems in new engines.
  • Feel comfortable taking ownership of features and seeing them though to the end.
  • Are highly self motivated and good at understanding and focusing on the biggest needs for the game.
  • Are highly skilled at animation and are able to convey character through gameplay animations.
  • Push for animation fidelity, but are always ready to put gameplay quality first.
  • Thrive on collaboration and communicate well with developers of all disciplines.
  • Are open, humble, eager, and excited about learning and contributing in multiple areas of the studio. Your curiosity propels you to jump in and dive deep on new problems.
  • Value building trust with the people you work with.
  • Value working with a diverse team and welcome different perspectives.
  • Have a growth mindset and also care about helping others develop.
  • Are as passionate about the creative process and developing games as we are!
Responsibilities
  • Collaborate with a lean team of skilled and passionate game developers.
  • Participate in focused, cross disciplinary teams to jam on character development, creating combat that feels amazing, as well as other features and team goals.
  • Meld minds with engineers and tech artists to develop custom rigs, tools and animation technology to improve workflows, streamline development and create high quality motion for the game.
  • Collaborate closely with the animation team and other developers to align on animation look/feel, quality bar, process/efficiency, tech, etc.
  • Join playtests, learning what is best for the game through experiencing the game as a player and adjusting animations for the best gameplay experience.
  • Wear many hats, have ample opportunity to utilize prior experience and also be supported in experimenting with new areas of interest.
  • Contribute to areas of the game and the company outside core focus.

Bonfire Studios creates immersive video games that focus on adventure, exploration, and social interaction among players. Their games are designed to provide high-quality, story-driven experiences that appeal to a wide range of gamers, from casual players to dedicated enthusiasts. Unlike many competitors, Bonfire Studios develops unique intellectual properties from scratch, which helps them build a strong brand and a loyal community of players. The company generates revenue through game sales and in-game purchases, while also considering licensing opportunities for their original content. Bonfire Studios aims to foster a dedicated player base by delivering memorable gaming experiences and is committed to maintaining a positive work environment to attract top talent in the competitive gaming industry.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Late Stage VC

Total Funding

$24.3M

Headquarters

Irvine, California

Founded

2016

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Increased interest in PvP games aligns with Arkheron's gameplay focus.
  • Dark fantasy themes are trending, potentially attracting a dedicated fanbase for Arkheron.
  • Private playtesting allows Bonfire Studios to refine Arkheron with community feedback.

What critics are saying

  • Arkheron's six-year development cycle risks the game being outdated at launch.
  • PvP focus may limit Arkheron's appeal to players preferring single-player experiences.
  • Technical challenges in networking architecture could delay Arkheron's further development.

What makes Bonfire Studios unique

  • Bonfire Studios creates unique IPs, building strong brand loyalty among players.
  • The company focuses on immersive, story-driven experiences that foster player fellowship.
  • Bonfire Studios' debut game, Arkheron, features innovative PvP mechanics and dark fantasy themes.

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Benefits

Company Equity

Hybrid Work Options

Flexible Work Hours

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

4%

1 year growth

8%

2 year growth

0%
VentureBeat
Jan 15th, 2025
Bonfire Studios Announces Debut Game Arkheron After 8 Years — Exclusive

Bonfire Studios, an independent video game developer started by Rob Pardo and other game veterans in 2016, is finally coming out of stealth mode, unveiling its debut project Arkheron.Founded by industry veterans responsible for iconic franchises including Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo, Overwatch, StarCraft and World of Warcraft, the Bonfire team draws on the expertise and design principles honed on those titles to craft an innovative new player-versus-player (PvP) game, said Rob Pardo, CEO of Irvine, California-based Bonfire Studios, in an exclusive interview with GamesBeat.Private playtesting for Arkheron is already underway and will be expanding in the coming months with rolling invites. Players who love fast-paced player-versus-player (PvP) combat are encouraged to sign up now for a chance to be among the first to play Arkheron and help shape its later stages of development.I asked Pardo if the team had spent eight years making the game so far, but he noted that it took about 1.5 years to build the studio and do the prototyping to find the fun. The real work on Arkheron itself began in 2018 and even then it involved a lot of continuous gameplay testing to get it right. And so the game has been in the works roughly six years.“We have been thrown curve balls,” Pardo said. “We didn’t expect to be in mid-development when a global pandemic hit.”As an example of a curve ball, the team had to spend about nine months making a backend architecture for the networking to accommodate the type of combat it wanted to have.The dark fantasy art of Arkheron.We’re not sure what that means yet as Bonfire is slowly revealing the game. The company has been playing and iterating on Arkheron behind-the-scenes for years and began private playtesting sessions with a small community in 2024