Animator, Gameplay - Overwatch | Irvine, CA

Job Title
Animator, Gameplay - Overwatch | Irvine, CA

Overview
Blizzard Entertainment is seeking a Gameplay Animator to join the Overwatch development team in Irvine, CA. As a key member of the development team, you will be responsible for bringing characters to life with your animation skills, collaborating with designers and engineers, and innovating our animation pipeline. This role offers a flexible hybrid work week, with a mix of remote and on-site days, based out of our Irvine, CA. While hybrid is the standard arrangement, candidates may also choose to work on-site fulltime if preferred.

Responsibilities

Create high-quality gameplay animations for real-time characters and in-game assets.

Support the development of hero animation style guides, prototypes, and other early visualization work.

Collaborate closely with artists, designers, and engineers to ensure animation assets support gameplay and technical requirements.

Partner with the lead animator and other team members to improve animation workflows, tools, and pipeline processes.

Participate in team reviews, feedback sessions, and creative discussions as part of the broader Overwatch team.

Minimum Requirements

5+ years of experience in game development, with a focus on character animation using Maya or a similar 3D animation package.

Strong understanding of animation fundamentals and how they apply to responsive, expressive gameplay.

Ability to create clear, appealing character performances that support gameplay readability and design intent.

Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in a cross-disciplinary team.

Bonus Points

Experience shipping at least one game as an animator.

Experience working in Unreal Engine or a similar game engine.

Experience animating first-person/viewmodel animation.

Familiarity with related disciplines such as rigging, modelling, VFX, 2D animation, technical art, or pipeline workflows.

Application / Portfolio Requirements

Resume.

Demo reel and shot breakdown demonstrating hand-keyed character animation, including human bipedal movement and other organic forms.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance.

401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching.

Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave.

Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance.

Relocation assistance may be provided if the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job.

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.

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.

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $29.81 - $55.14 Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.

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