At a glance
- Employment
- Full-time
- Workplace
- Onsite
- Location
- Los Angeles
About tapblaze
- Our mission is to create memorable entertainment experiences for players around the world. Our vision is to become one of the world's leading entertainment companies. As a self-funded, independent studio, we only answer to our players - not investors, not publishers. Good Pizza, Great Pizza has been downloaded more than 300 million times, and we did it with a small, focused team.
About the role
- Tapblaze is seeking a Game Design Intern for a 12-week paid internship to work hands-on with live titles Good Pizza, Great Pizza and Good Coffee, Great Coffee.
- The intern will contribute directly to game designs, mechanics, and balance that shape the player experience by pitching ideas and doing real design work.
- Top-performing interns will be considered for a full-time Junior Game Designer role at the end of the 12 weeks.
Responsibilities
- Prototype and pitch an original idea for a new feature, event, or content update.
- Collaborate with the design team to develop and iterate on a game mechanic, system, and/or content for Good Pizza, Great Pizza and Good Coffee, Great Coffee.
- Design, document, and balance in-game systems including recipes, progression, customer behaviors, and economy tuning.
- Create and maintain clear, detailed design documentation including feature specs, balance spreadsheets, and flowcharts.
- Playtest builds and provide structured, actionable feedback on gameplay feel and balance.
- Analyze player data and feedback to identify balance issues and opportunities for improvement.
- Participate in design reviews, brainstorms, and team critiques.
Requirements
- Currently enrolled undergraduate (junior or senior), graduate student or recent graduate (up to 6 months).
- Available 40 hours per week in-office in Los Angeles.
- A genuine love of games and a curiosity about what makes them work.
- Foundational understanding of game design principles such as feedback loops, pacing, progression, player motivation, and economy design.
- Strong analytical skills, comfort with spreadsheets, numbers, and tuning variables to find the right balance.
- Clear written and verbal communication with the ability to explain and defend design decisions.
- A collaborative mindset and openness to feedback.
- Self-motivated with the ability to manage time and prioritize across multiple tasks.
- Great attention to detail.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience with game design tools including Unity, game engines, Claude, prototyping tools, or scripting.
- A portfolio, passion project, or game jam entry that showcases design thinking.
- Familiarity with mobile/casual game design and free-to-play economies.
- Experience with or knowledge of cozy, simulation, restaurant, or management game genres.
- Background in data analysis or player behavior research.
Benefits
- Paid internship: $20/hr to $25/hr
- Hands-on experience designing for live games with real player bases
- Mentorship
- A deep understanding of mobile game design, balancing, and live operations
- A clear pathway to a full-time Associate Game Designer position based on performance
- A portfolio-worthy body of work from contributions
Workplace
- In-office in Los Angeles
Skills
- Unity
- Claude
- Scripting
- Prototyping
- Data Analysis
