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Lightfold Games · Atlanta, GA · Hybrid/remote possibilities
Lightfold is a creator-first entertainment studio bringing fans and creators together to build original worlds across animation, comics, games, and more. We believe great stories come from giving talented people the freedom, ownership, and support to do their best work, then inviting audiences to come along for the ride.
Now, we're building Lightfold Games. Come in on the ground floor, building our 3D game development and asset production in-house and create a team that can help define not only this game, but what Lightfold Games becomes.
These are hybrid positions based in Atlanta, GA, with health benefits. We're looking for collaborative, ambitious people who want the rare opportunity to get in early, help establish how a new studio works, and build something from the beginning.
Our first game: a co-op horde shooter with a stylized look tied to a 2D cartoon. We're hiring the full founding team at once, 12 roles in parallel, so we can move all 3D asset production in-house.
01
Netcode / Multiplayer Engineer
Engineering · $75,000-$95,000 · Full-time · Health insurance
We need a Netcode / Multiplayer Engineer to build and run the multiplayer side of our co-op horde shooter. You'll handle horde replication at scale, player state synchronization, and keeping our decontamination-grid systems responsive under real network conditions.
You'll
- Design and implement replication systems for large numbers of concurrent AI enemies
- Handle player state sync across co-op sessions
- Diagnose and fix latency issues tied to core gameplay systems (decontamination grid, combat state)
- Work closely with gameplay programmers so netcode and game feel stay in sync
You have
- Proven experience shipping networked multiplayer systems (Unreal Engine strongly preferred)
- Deep understanding of replication, prediction, and lag compensation techniques
- Comfortable in a small, fast-moving studio where you're responsible for your systems from start to finish
02
Gameplay / Combat Programmer (2 openings)
Engineering · $75,000-$95,000 · Full-time · Health insurance
We're hiring two Gameplay / Combat Programmers to build how the game actually plays: weapon handling, movement, and the zombie AI behind our horde encounters.
You'll
- Implement weapon and spray-mechanic systems that feel tight and responsive
- Build and tune player movement systems
- Develop zombie AI pathing and behavior for horde-scale encounters
- Work with design on combat balance and pacing
You have
- Shipped gameplay systems in Unreal Engine (C++ and/or Blueprints)
- A strong feel for third/first-person shooter combat tuning
- Experience with AI pathing/behavior systems at scale is a plus
03
Technical Artist (VFX / Shaders)
Art · $60,000-$80,000 · Full-time · Health insurance
Our game pairs a cel-shaded look with a companion 2D cartoon, and we need a Technical Artist to keep that look consistent and performant across the game. This role covers cel-shading, VFX, and custom shader work.
You'll
- Build and maintain our cel-shading and stylized post-processing pipeline
- Create "cleaning" and combat VFX that fit the game's tone
- Develop custom shaders in Unreal Engine 5
- Keep our visuals consistent with our external animation studio's 2D style
You have
- Strong shader development experience (HLSL / Unreal material graphs)
- A portfolio showing stylized, non-photorealistic rendering work
- Ability to work across art, animation, and external partners
This role currently covers cel-shading, VFX, and stylistic continuity solo, so expect a broad scope early on.
04
3D Character Artist (2 openings)
Art · $60,000-$80,000 · Full-time · Health insurance
We're looking for two 3D Character Artists to model our player characters and monster roster, translating 2D cartoon designs into finished 3D models. One position focuses on the player roster, the other on the zombie/monster catalog.
You'll
- Sculpt and model characters from 2D concept references
- Stay faithful to the source cartoon's art direction
- Work closely with our Technical Animators/Riggers on topology and deformation needs
- Iterate with the Technical Artist on shading and material application
You have
- Strong sculpting and modeling skills (ZBrush, Maya, or equivalent)
- Experience translating 2D/stylized concept art into 3D
- A portfolio with character work, creature work, or both
05
3D Environment / Prop Artist (2 openings)
Art · $60,000-$80,000 · Full-time · Health insurance
We're hiring two 3D Environment / Prop Artists to build the world of our co-op horde shooter: modular architecture, environmental storytelling through "clean vs. dirty" texturing, and the props that fill our open-world spaces.
You'll
- Build modular architecture kits for level construction
- Develop clean/dirty texture variants to support environmental storytelling
- Model and texture open-world props
- Work from a signed-off style guide to keep zones visually consistent
You have
- Strong environment/prop modeling and texturing skills
- Experience building modular kits for game levels
- Comfortable working within an established style guide
06
Technical Animator / Rigger (2 openings)
Art · $60,000-$80,000 · Full-time · Health insurance
Our horde-shooter combat needs a large library of animation states across players and monster variants. We're hiring two Technical Animators/Riggers to build the skeletal and animation pipeline that supports it.
You'll
- Build skeletal rigs and skin weighting for players and monster variants
- Develop locomotion cycles and get them working cleanly in-engine
- Support heavy animation-state needs: running, strafing, spraying, aiming, hit reactions, deaths
- Work closely with Character Artists on rig-friendly topology
You have
- Strong rigging and skinning experience (Maya or equivalent)
- Experience with in-engine animation pipelines (Unreal Engine preferred)
- Comfortable supporting a large roster of animated variants
07
Systems / Combat Designer
Design · $60,000-$80,000 · Full-time · Health insurance
We're looking for a Systems / Combat Designer to design the core loops of our co-op horde shooter: weapon balance, decontamination pacing, and the co-op systems that hold horde encounters together.
You'll
- Balance weapon systems and combat encounters
- Design and tune decontamination-grid pacing
- Build and iterate on co-op gameplay loops
- Partner with engineering on implementation and with the founder/design lead on level-design integration
You have
- Experience designing systems and balancing combat in a shipped or in-development game
- A strong grasp of co-op design patterns
- Comfortable in a small team without a dedicated level design partner at first
08
Audio Implementer / Sound Designer
Audio · $60,000-$80,000 · Full-time · Health insurance
We're hiring an Audio Implementer / Sound Designer to build the sound of our co-op horde shooter, from dynamic spatial audio to weapon response, and to handle implementation in-engine.
You'll
- Design and implement dynamic, spatial audio systems
- Create weapon and combat response sound design
- Run audio implementation in Unreal Engine from start to finish
- Work with gameplay and combat design on audio feedback loops
You have
- Experience with in-engine audio implementation (Wwise, FMOD, or Unreal's native audio tools)
- A strong sound design portfolio
- Comfortable being the only audio person on a small team
Apply today
Send us your resume and CV and we will be in touch. We expect a high volume of applicants, so please be patient with us as our small team works through the submissions.
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