Game Designer

About Us

Arcade Online is a live platform where players enjoy a growing catalogue of original digital games designed exclusively for the platform, alongside the ability to remotely control real arcade machines.

Our games blend traditional arcade sensibility with modern live-service design, built around events, progression, challenges and real-world rewards.

The Role

We're looking for a Game Designer to own the design of our original titles.

This is a hands-on role that takes games from early concept through prototyping, iteration, balancing, and launch. Working closely with a small team of developers, this role is about finding the fun while establishing the rules, mechanisms, and economies that make arcade games highly accessible, juicy, and replayable.

Our games include a ticket economy - just like a physical arcade, players earn tickets with real-world value based on gameplay outcomes. You won't be expected to arrive knowing this space, but you should be comfortable designing and balancing reward systems, in-game economies, and progression loops.

What You'll Do

• Design original digital arcade games from concept through to launch


• Prototype and iterate gameplay mechanics with a focus on engagement, accessibility, and replayability within the Unity game engine


• Balance difficulty, progression, reward timing, and ticket payout through rigorous testing and analysis


• Design scoring models, bonus mechanics, and progression systems


• Produce clear design documentation, specifications, and economy spreadsheets


• Playtest extensively - identify what's working, what isn't, and drive iteration until it's right


• Analyse player behaviour and game performance post-launch to inform future improvements


• Develop original game concepts and, over time, take ownership of creative direction for new titles


• Support the design of proprietary electromechanical arcade games where relevant

What We're Looking For

• Commercial game design experience, ideally in mobile, casual, arcade or live-service games


• A strong instinct for what makes gameplay satisfying, accessible, and highly replayable


• Experience designing and balancing gameplay systems


• Strong analytical skills; comfortable tuning mechanics using data and structured testing rather than instinct alone


• Experience working closely with software engineers throughout a development cycle


• Able to iterate rapidly, make decisions under uncertainty, and hold a high bar for polish


• Clear communicator - able to document design decisions and specs that a small team can execute against


• Hands-on with game engines (Unity preferred) - you don't need to write code, but you're not afraid to get into the tools

Nice to have

• Live-service or free-to-play mobile games


• In-game economies or virtual reward systems


• Rapid prototyping experience

What Success Looks Like

After your first 12 months, you'll have:

• Shipped multiple original Arcade Online titles


• Taken ownership of gameplay balancing across the digital portfolio


• Established design processes that increase development velocity


• Become the go-to for new gameplay mechanics and original game concepts


• Contributed to games with high engagement, repeat play and commercial performance

Why Join Us

This is a chance to design games in category that doesn’t really exist anywhere else - where arcade mechanics, live-service design and real-world prizes combine into something genuinely novel.

You'll work in a small, highly collaborative team where your decisions have a direct and visible impact on the product.