Animator (Apex Legends)

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.

The Opportunity

Respawn Entertainment is seeking an Animator to join the Apex Legends team, focusing on gameplay and Enemy AI animation. In this role, you will create dynamic, responsive animations that bring AI-driven characters, creatures, and gameplay encounters to life. Your work will directly influence how players experience combat, traversal, and interactions, delivering gameplay that feels intuitive, readable, and impactful.

Working closely with Design, Engineering, Technical Animation, AI, and Art, you will develop animation systems that support engaging gameplay while ensuring enemy behaviors communicate clearly and enhance the overall player experience.

Responsibilities

·       Create high-quality gameplay animations for AI-controlled characters, enemies, creatures, bosses, and interactive gameplay systems.

·       Develop animation sets that support a wide range of AI behaviors, including combat, navigation, traversal, reactions, abilities, and environmental interactions.

·       Partner closely with AI Engineers, Gameplay Engineers, Designers, and Technical Animators to build responsive animation systems that support gameplay goals.

·       Ensure enemy animations clearly communicate intent, timing, attack windows, and gameplay readability to players.

·       Collaborate with VFX, Audio, and Art teams to create immersive and believable gameplay encounters.

·       Iterate on animations based on playtesting, gameplay balancing, and player feedback.

·       Troubleshoot animation implementation issues while maintaining high visual quality and runtime performance.

Qualifications

·       3 + years of professional animation experience in AAA game development.

·       Experience creating gameplay animations for AI-driven characters, enemies, NPCs, or creatures on shipped titles.

·       Strong understanding of gameplay animation principles, including responsiveness, anticipation, readability, and player feedback.

·       Experience collaborating with AI, Gameplay, and Engineering teams throughout development.

·       Strong proficiency with Maya or similar professional animation tools.

·       Experience implementing animation within modern game engines.

·       Solid understanding of animation state machines, blend spaces, locomotion systems, IK/FK workflows, and gameplay integration.

·       Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

Nice to Have

·    Experience developing animation for multiplayer action games or live service titles.

·    Experience with procedural animation systems and runtime animation techniques.

·    Motion capture editing and cleanup experience.

·    Familiarity with Unreal Engine, Frostbite, or proprietary game engines.

·    Experience animating non-human characters, creatures, or highly stylized movement systems.

·    Passion for action games, competitive shooters, and creating memorable gameplay moments.

What You’ll Bring

·       A passion for creating gameplay-first animation that enhances both player experience and game feel.

·       Strong artistic judgment combined with a deep understanding of technical gameplay systems.

·       The ability to balance animation quality with gameplay responsiveness and clarity.

·       A collaborative mindset and enthusiasm for solving complex gameplay challenges across disciplines.

·       A commitment to delivering polished, engaging experiences that make every encounter feel dynamic and rewarding.