AI Designer
Blizzard Entertainment · Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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- On site
- Full-time
- $110,000 / year
- Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Job highlights
- Design AI for Overwatch Rush mobile game.
- Create engaging ally and enemy bot behaviors.
- Utilize visual scripting and AI decision-making.
- Collaborate with design and engineering teams.
- Tune AI for challenging and fair gameplay.
About the role
About the Team
Overwatch Rush is a new top-down Hero shooter designed specifically for mobile, set in the Overwatch universe. Overwatch Rush is being developed by a dedicated team with deep mobile experience. Join us as we expand the Overwatch universe and bring fresh new adventures to players across all platforms!
About the Role
We are looking for an AI Designer to work on OverWatch Rush for Blizzard. The bots you design will need to join the battle as both player allies and enemies offering a carefully balanced challenge for players as they improve their skills. If you are passionate about creating AI which offers great gameplay experiences that delights millions of players, then this is the ideal role for you. We’re an inclusive team that welcomes new members with unique perspectives. We care deeply about the games we build and how we create them. We can't wait to meet you!!
Responsibilities
- Design & Implementation: Design and build AI behaviors, including enemy positioning, to deliver dynamic, fun gameplay experiences.
- Hands-on Building: Be technical enough to be hands-on with building AI behaviors, bot coordination and proficiency yourself, utilizing visual scripting and other tools.
- System Definition: Help improve and define new AI systems for the title.
- Documentation & Collaboration: Keep the AI documentation clear and tidy. Chat with other teams (designers, engineers) to get feedback and collaborate.
- Live Service Ready: Make sure the AI handles all the new maps, modes, and ongoing gameplay balancing for a live service title.
- Technical Teamwork: Work with the tech team to implement the AI using the tools you help design.
- Tuning & Balance: Fine-tune the AI difficulty so it's challenging but fair. Tweak AI using data and playtest feedback.
- Industry Knowledge: Stay current on the latest AI industry standards, concepts and tech.
Minimum Requirements
- Systemic Thinker: You must be a strong systemic thinker, able to see the big picture of how AI impacts the game ecosystem.
- Experience: Real-world experience designing and implementing game AI (shipped titles are a bonus!).
- User Stories: Know-how with user stories to define the what and why of AI.
- Technical Skills: Strong technical skills: visual scripting and deep knowledge of AI decision-making (like Utility AI, state machines, behavior trees…).
- Communication: Great communication—you need to talk to both tech wizards and non-tech folks.
- Balancing: Understand gameplay balancing and how to tune AI for a great player experience.
- Collaboration: Be a good team player—able to give and take constructive feedback.
Pluses
- Experience with games that have a roster of heroes with different roles.
- A tech background and experience working closely with engineers.
- Familiarity with Agile and iterative design (i.e., fast design cycles).
- Experience with combat, non-combat, or procedural AI.
- Knowledge of tactical/spatial queries.
- Experience with Unity and visual scripting.
- Know how to optimize AI for good performance.
About Blizzard Entertainment
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 innovate 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 committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.
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.
Key skills/competency
- AI Design
- Game AI
- Behavior Trees
- Utility AI
- State Machines
- Visual Scripting
- Gameplay Balancing
- Systemic Thinking
- Mobile Games
- Overwatch
Skills & topics
- AI Designer
- Game AI
- Artificial Intelligence
- Behavioral Trees
- Utility AI
- State Machines
- Visual Scripting
- Gameplay Programming
- Mobile Game Development
- Blizzard Entertainment
- Overwatch Rush
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your experience in game AI design, visual scripting, and systemic thinking. Emphasize shipped titles and your role in their AI development.
- Showcase your portfolio: Prepare examples of your AI design work, including any visual scripting examples or documentation you've created.
- Understand the game: Familiarize yourself with the Overwatch universe and the specifics of mobile hero shooters to demonstrate your passion and understanding.
- Prepare for technical questions: Be ready to discuss your experience with AI decision-making systems like behavior trees, state machines, and utility AI, and how you've used them.
- Emphasize collaboration: Highlight your ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical team members, and your experience in iterative design processes.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What is the primary focus of the AI Designer role at Blizzard Entertainment for Overwatch Rush?
- The primary focus of the AI Designer role for Overwatch Rush at Blizzard Entertainment is to design, build, and implement AI behaviors for both player allies and enemies. This includes enemy positioning, bot coordination, and tuning AI difficulty to deliver dynamic, fun, and balanced gameplay experiences specifically for a mobile hero shooter.
- What technical skills are most important for an AI Designer at Blizzard for this role?
- The most important technical skills for this AI Designer role include strong visual scripting abilities and a deep knowledge of AI decision-making techniques such as Utility AI, state machines, and behavior trees. Experience optimizing AI for performance is also a significant plus.
- How does Blizzard Entertainment approach diversity and inclusion in hiring for the AI Designer position?
- Blizzard Entertainment is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. They value unique perspectives and encourage applications from individuals who may not meet every single qualification, recognizing that research shows underrepresented groups often possess the necessary skills. They also provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
- What is expected regarding collaboration for the AI Designer role on the Overwatch Rush team?
- The AI Designer is expected to collaborate closely with other teams, including designers and engineers. This involves clear communication, seeking and providing feedback, and working together to implement AI systems using designed tools, ensuring the AI is live service ready and integrated effectively.
- Does Blizzard Entertainment require prior experience in mobile game development for the AI Designer role?
- While experience in mobile game development is not explicitly stated as a minimum requirement, the job description highlights that Overwatch Rush is a mobile-first game, and the development team has deep mobile experience. Therefore, experience with mobile game development, especially in designing AI for mobile titles, would be a strong advantage.
- How will the AI Designer contribute to the live service aspect of Overwatch Rush?
- The AI Designer will ensure the AI is live service ready by designing it to handle new maps, modes, and ongoing gameplay balancing. This involves continuous tuning and tweaking of AI using data and playtest feedback to maintain a challenging yet fair experience for players over time.