C++ Gameplay Engineer – Hero-Driven Fantasy RTS

Join to apply for the C++ Gameplay Engineer – Hero-Driven Fantasy RTS role at Blackbird Interactive Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features. Blackbird Interactive provided pay range This range is provided by Blackbird Interactive. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more. Base pay range CA$90,000.00/yr - CA$135,000.00/yr Blackbird Interactive is a creative-fueled, future-driven, independent game studio where the best talent in the industry can find long-term careers to help grow their abilities while working on a wide range of projects, which encompass world-class IPs as well as our own creations across multiple genres. In 2022, we announced that our studio is implementing a four-day work week as well as supporting in-studio, remote within Canada, and hybrid work arrangements as permanent options to our employees. About the Role Blackbird Interactive is extending the life of an iconic, hero-centric real‑time strategy title with a new expansion. As a C++ generalist on the gameplay team, you’ll design, implement, and polish fresh campaign content, competitive balance updates, and live‑ops features that keep millions of commanders returning. You’ll own features end‑to‑end, collaborate closely with design and art, and sharpen your craft inside a large‑scale RTS codebase. What you’ll tackle New campaign & modes: Prototype, iterate, and ship story missions, co‑op variants, and multiplayer experiences in modern C++ Hero systems & combat: Expand hero abilities, talents, items, and progression; tune tactical combat, micro, and counterplay Creeps, neutrals & objectives: Evolve neutral encounters, map objectives, and XP/loot flows to deepen strategic choices Quality‑of‑life upgrades: Streamline UI/UX flows, improve onboarding, squash long‑standing bugs, and refine custom‑game pipelines Simulation & AI: Enhance deterministic simulation, pathfinding, squad/unit behaviors, and encounter scripting for tight, responsive play Systems architecture: Extend a mature proprietary engine with data‑driven, multithreaded gameplay systems that scale across PC platforms Performance & stability: Profile, optimize, and debug code to hit 60 fps during large‑scale battles, reduce load times, and improve automated test coverage Live‑ops & balance: Help plan and deliver balance patches, seasonal events, and telemetry‑informed tuning for ranked and custom play Cross‑disciplinary collaboration: Work hand‑in‑hand with design, art, animation, and audio to translate ideas into shippable features; drive playtests and incorporate feedback Technical leadership: Contribute to code reviews, share best practices, and mentor associates through pair‑programming and informal guidance You’ll thrive here if you… Deliver modern, maintainable C++ in large codebases with 3+ years of professional game‑dev experience Have shipped at least one commercial title or substantial live‑ops update featuring your gameplay work Enjoy rapid iteration, data‑driven design, and balancing creative intent with technical realities Communicate clearly across disciplines and give constructive feedback in code reviews Are comfortable with Perforce, Git, or similar VCS and modern debugging/profiling tools (Nice to have) Experience with hero‑driven RTS mechanics, encounter scripting, deterministic sims, or custom‑map/mod ecosystems Seniority level Not Applicable Employment type Full‑time Job function Engineering and Information Technology Industries Computer Games Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Blackbird Interactive by 2x. #J-18808-Ljbffr