Game Designer

Who We Are   Founded in 2023, Small Axe Studios is 2K’s newest stand-alone studio, built to push the boundaries of game development and bring 2K’s next groundbreaking sports franchise to life. Headquartered in Burnaby, we are assembling a world-class team of visionaries, builders, and passionate gamers who thrive on creative collaboration, technical excellence, and bold ideas. At Small Axe Studios, we believe big things start with sharp focus—and we’re crafting an exceptional, player-first experience from the ground up.

If you’re ready to tackle unique challenges, leave your mark on a brand-new IP, and help shape the future of interactive sports entertainment, we want you on our team!
What We Need   Our studio is looking for a thoughtful and detail-oriented Systems Designer to help shape the foundation of our player experience. In this role, you'll contribute to the design, balancing, and implementation of gameplay systems that bring depth, dynamism, and replayability to our game. As part of the Core Fantasy team, you’ll work closely with senior systems designers, engineers, producers, and other stakeholders to bring systemic features to life that support player freedom, progression, and agency.

This is an exciting opportunity to grow as a designer while contributing to a large-scale sports game with an ambitious and player-driven vision. The Systems Designer will report to the Lead Designer (Core Fantasy) and collaborate regularly with feature teams across the studio.
What You’ll Do     Design Core Gameplay Systems
Support the development of game systems such as progression, economy, rewards, player stats, and game modes (Help balance gameplay loops, and related systemic mechanics)
Work within an established vision to help translate high-level goals into clear, scalable systems
Own discrete systems or subsystems, and take them from concept to implementation
Balance and Tune for Engagement
Help balance gameplay loops, player progression, in-game currencies, and related systemic mechanics
Adjust tuning values based on feedback, metrics, and playtest results
Analyze and model systemic outcomes to maintain a healthy gameplay economy
Partner with Cross-Functional Teams
Collaborate with engineers, artists, and other designers to prototype, implement, and iterate systems
Contribute to scoping and feature planning discussions with producers and project leads
Ensure systems integrate cleanly with other game areas such as gameplay, UI, and content pipelines
Document and Communicate Design
Create clear and comprehensive documentation for system logic, flows, and tuning guidelines
Maintain design specs and balance sheets to support clarity and iteration
Present your designs in team reviews and be open to feedback and collaboration
Champion Systemic Play
Contribute to the game's player-driven and emergent storytelling through robust systems
Help ensure the systems empower player expression, decision-making, and meaningful trade-offs
Bring a player-first mindset to design discussions and problem solving
What Will Make You A Great Fit     3–5 years of experience in game design, with a focus on systems design
Experience designing and tuning game systems such as progression, stats, or in-game economies
Solid understanding of balancing principles, player motivations, and systemic interaction
Strong analytical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills
Passion for sports games and/or systemic gameplay
Comfortable working with spreadsheets and design tools for balance and documentation
Positive, proactive attitude and willingness to learn and adapt in a fast-paced environment
Beneficial Qualifications     Experience working on sports games or simulations
Familiarity with live service design, balancing for long-term engagement, or seasonal models

Experience with scripting or configuration in a game engine (e.g., Unreal Blueprint, Unity, proprietary tools)
Exposure to telemetry-driven design and KPI-informed iteration
Equal Opportunity Employer   As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or…