Principal Game Designer (Core Gameplay) - Hole.io

About Voodoo

Founded in 2013, Voodoo is a tech company that creates mobile games and apps with a mission to entertain the world. Gathering 800 employees, 7 billion downloads, and over 200 million active users, Voodoo is the #3 mobile publisher worldwide in terms of downloads after Google and Meta. Our portfolio includes chart-topping games like Mob Control, Hole.io, Paper.io2, alongside popular apps such as BeReal and Wizz.

This position is fully remote as long as you are willing to work in CET hours, or Barcelona-based.

Team

Our Gaming team is made up of hybrid-casual, casual, and mid-core experts. Our 'Core' games team supports internal and external studios worldwide in creating, developing, and launching new hit games, whilst our 'Live' games team focuses on delivering higher engagement on our existing and successful games.

Joining our Gaming team means collaborating with industry experts to build the tools and infrastructure that power the next generation of hit games. You will be a key partner to our game studios, enabling them to build, iterate, and launch games more efficiently.

You will be joining one of our Live Studios, working on Hole.io, one of Voodoo's top games.

Role

Note: This role is focused on hands-on gameplay design and quality, not team management.

We’re seeking a talented and seasoned Principal Game Designer who is deeply passionate about casual games and laser-focused on creating the next big hit. With extensive experience in the industry, you'll play a pivotal role in delivering fun to millions of players. As the driving force behind the game's success, you'll ensure the game reaches the highest standards of quality and innovation.

• Own the quality bar for core mechanics, moment-to-moment interaction, and overall game feel
• Design, prototype, and refine new gameplay features and mechanics that expand the core Hole.io loop
• Iterate new and existing features & parameters until achieving final quality game feel e.g. friction, bounce, suction force, camera & movement easing curves, etc.
• Partner closely with engineers to implement and iterate on Unity-based gameplay systems that perform well on mobile devices
• Collaborate with level designers to ensure gameplay mechanics integrate smoothly with open 3D environments
• Identify opportunities to improve player engagement, retention, and session satisfaction through gameplay changes
• Lead rapid prototyping and iteration cycles, validating ideas through playtesting, AB tests and data analysis
• Define best practices and design guidelines for gameplay systems and interaction design
• Work with product and analytics teams to translate player data and experimentation results into gameplay improvements
• Champion simplicity, clarity, and delight in every interaction

Profile

• 7 years of experience in gameplay design, with proven track record in F2P mobile games
• Experience owning core gameplay systems from concept through launch and live ops
• Deep understanding of game feel, player control responsiveness, and interaction design
• Strong intuition for simple mechanics with high player satisfaction
• Experience designing systems driven by physics interactions, player movement, and environmental gameplay
• Ability to balance accessibility for casual audiences with meaningful gameplay depth
• Strong hands-on experience with Unity and solid understanding of its physics systems & collisions
• Experience working with A/B testing and data-driven informed decision making
• Communication skills in English, both written and verbal
• Deep collaboration mindset, including excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and a positive & humble mindset towards receiving, acting on, and giving feedback
• Accountability, independence, and responsibility when given ownership over your work
• Eager to become more efficient way and to improve yourself day after day

Nice-to-have

• Experience improving core loop retention through gameplay iteration
• Comfortable prototyping gameplay directly in engine and collaborating closely with engineers.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and other benefits according to the country you reside.

Key skills/competency

• Principal Game Designer
• Core Gameplay Design
• Unity
• F2P Mobile Games
• Player Engagement
• Data Analysis
• Game Feel
• Interaction Design
• Prototyping
• A/B Testing