Electronic Arts

Game Designer - EA SPORTS™ NHL

EA SPORTS is one of the most iconic brands in entertainment – connecting hundreds of millions around the world to the sports they love through a portfolio of industry-leading video games.

EA SPORTS NHL has revolutionized sports gaming for millions of players worldwide. We’ve pioneered award-winning creative technology and experiences to connect players to the speed, skill, and heart of the NHL.

EA SPORTS is looking for a passionate and driven Game Designer I to join the NHL Gameplay Team. In this role, you will help shape the moment-to-moment player experience that defines the authenticity, fluidity, and fun of EA SPORTS NHL. You will collaborate with design leadership and cross-disciplinary partners to bring innovative gameplay features to life while maintaining the high standards of quality and realism that fans expect.

This position is ideal for a designer who thrives in a collaborative environment, can take ownership of localized gameplay systems, and is eager to grow within a world-class sports development team.

Key Responsibilities

• Work independently on focused gameplay design areas, ensuring goals and requirements are clearly defined and met.
  
• Partner with senior designers and leads to translate creative direction into actionable, detailed design tasks.
  
• Generate new gameplay ideas and iterate on existing systems, ensuring alignment with the core NHL player experience.
  
• Create and maintain thorough design documentation that supports scoping, implementation, and cross-team understanding.
  
• Collaborate closely with engineering, animation, and art teams to ensure features are implemented with quality and intent.
  
• Evaluate gameplay features through playtesting and feedback, measuring implementation against the desired player experience.
  
• Identify dependencies and potential impacts across gameplay systems to help ensure cohesive design execution.
  
• Contribute to building and refining core hockey mechanics that enhance authenticity, responsiveness, and player agency.
  
• Drive your assigned design areas through completion, following established design processes and milestones.
  
• Seek guidance and feedback from creative leadership to ensure designs align with franchise vision and gameplay philosophy.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Strong understanding of core gameplay design principles, player experience, and balancing mechanics.
  
• Ability to translate high-level design goals into detailed, actionable tasks.
  
• Excellent collaboration skills with a proven ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
  
• Clear and concise communication, both written and verbal, with a focus on documentation clarity.
  
• Demonstrated ability to analyze gameplay and identify opportunities for improvement.
  
• Familiarity with game development tools, pipelines, and iterative design workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in game design, ideally in gameplay or systems design.
  
• Deep passion for hockey and a strong understanding of its rules, flow, and nuances.
  
• Experience with sports or simulation games, particularly those emphasizing player control and realism.
  
• Familiarity with EA’s Frostbite Engine or equivalent game development tools is an asset.