JE Jared Ellis

Senior Systems Designer at Zynga · Austin, TX

I build gameplay
that feels right.

Hi, I'm Jared, a Technical Game Designer with a passion for FPS games. I design, prototype and implement combat, movement and systems in Unreal Engine and Unity, from indie hits to AAA shooters.

View my work Resume
Shipped titles
4
Years of game dev
7
Years of coding
8
Grimhook units sold
250K+

01 / Main quests

Shipped titles

Grimhook gameplay: a first-person hand holds a glowing green skull amulet in a misty cavern
Released 250K+ units sold 115K players

Grimhook

Technical Designer · Unreal Engine 5 (C++/Blueprints) · 30 team members

A fast-paced first-person action platformer where players bounce, dash, and grapple through flooded caverns as Dart, wielding Lovecraftian powers to decimate robotic foes and uncover ancient mysteries beneath the city of Miletos. Born at the SGDA 2023 Summer Game Jam, it grew into a full-length release built by a 30-person team.

I contributed to combat abilities, UI, audio systems, and cinematic transitions.

Achievement unlocked

Best Hobby Project

Game Development World Championship 2024

Read the case study
The Colony 2044 screenshot
Early Access Project Lead

The Colony 2044

Project Lead & Technical Designer · Unity (C#) · 10 team members

A survival colony simulation set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombie bunnies. Players lead a colony of survivors, managing resources, constructing a base, and navigating social dynamics in search of a cure hidden within one of their own.

I oversaw the game's vision and development, and built key systems for colony management, AI behavior, and simulation balance.

Achievement unlocked

Audience Choice Award

DreamHack Indie Playground 2025

Read the case study

Side quests

Game jams & prototypes

Project Chameleon logo

Project Chameleon

Unreleased

Project Lead & Technical Designer · UE5 · 10 members

A competitive multiplayer FPS built around stealth and momentum. Adaptive suits make you fully invisible while crouching, faintly visible when still, and more exposed the faster you move. I built the invisibility, combat and game-mode systems.

Cosmic Combat key art

Cosmic Combat

Game Lab

Gameplay Programmer · UE5 · 60 members

A multiplayer arena brawler for 2–4 galactic gladiators competing across two game modes. I implemented core combat systems, player mechanics, and game mode logic.

Make The King Giggle key art

Make The King Giggle

Global Game Jam

Gameplay Programmer · UE5 · 6 members

A musical, first-person, grid-based RPG about bringing "hope" to a gloomy king. I built the movement and interaction systems and helped shape its playful tone.

Bloodthyrst key art

Bloodthyrst

SGDA Jam

Gameplay Programmer · UE5 · 5 members

First-person vampire stealth in a haunted cathedral. Evade wardens, manage your draining thirst and scout with blood-sight. I built the stealth mechanics, enemy AI and player abilities.

Death Bloom key art

Death Bloom

Game Lab

Gameplay Programmer · UE5 · 40 members

A horror puzzle game: survive the night and burn the heart of Arveado, guided by a mysterious storybook. I implemented the character systems and interactive puzzle mechanics.

02 / User experience research

Player insight on AAA shooters

Before designing games, I studied how people play them, using SQL, Python, Tableau, A/B tests and heatmaps to turn player data into design decisions.

DOOM Eternal key art

id Software · id Tech 7 · Nov 2019 – May 2020

DOOM Eternal

I worked with design, development and QA to inform decisions on mechanics and UI/UX. My research reports directly shaped feature prioritization and the player experience.

SQL · Tableau · Qualtrics

Read the case study
Borderlands 3 key art

Gearbox Publishing · Unreal Engine 4 · Feb – Aug 2019

Borderlands 3

I tracked player progression, decisions and engagement, and used A/B testing and heatmaps to find pain points. The results informed improvements to combat, quest flow and loot systems.

SQL · Tableau · Typeform

Read the case study

03 / Blog

Writing

Systems design · Game feel

Honest Lies: The Hidden Rules That Make Games Feel Fair

Read the post

Systems design · Unreal Engine

Modular Ability System

Read the post

04 / About me

Where systems, gameplay and player insight meet.

Portrait of Jared Ellis

I'm a Technical Designer with a deep passion for crafting immersive gameplay, especially in the FPS genre. I specialize in designing, prototyping, and implementing systems that make gameplay feel responsive, rewarding, and unforgettable.

My journey began in high school with 3D modeling and animation, then scripting in MEL and Python. That curiosity grew into a career blending design and engineering, from automating pipelines to shipping games. I earned my degree in Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication from the University of Texas at Dallas, concentrating in Animation and Games, with a heavy emphasis on gameplay programming in C++, C#, and Blueprints.

Whether I'm fine-tuning movement systems, building interactive UI, or designing tools to streamline development, I'm driven by a love of games and a commitment to pushing the player experience further.

C++C#BlueprintsPython Unreal Engine 4/5UnityGitPerforce SQLTableau

Personal favorites

Apex Legends · Titanfall 2 · Borderlands 3 · Spyro the Dragon · Ratchet & Clank · BioShock Infinite · DOOM Eternal

05 / Resume

Experience

Print-friendly resume ↗
  1. Aug 2026 – Present

    Senior Systems Designer

    Zynga · Austin, TX · Social casino slot machines

    • Own slot machine features from preproduction to launch, designing new social casino mechanics alongside proven industry favorites.
    • Prototype each machine's functional framework and script its gameplay logic, giving art, engineering, and math teams a solid foundation to build on.
    • Build the technical art framework artists and animators use to implement gameplay visuals in 2D game development tools.
    • Establish each machine's development pipeline and drive interdisciplinary planning to meet quality standards and keep new features forward compatible with existing systems.
  2. Oct 2025 – Jul 2026

    Senior Gameplay Designer

    Combat Waffle Studios · Unannounced title (Meta Quest) · UE5 (C++/Blueprints)

    • Owned combat design, enemy behavior, weapon systems, player controls, inventory, and UI/UX.
    • Took features from concept to final implementation in Blueprints and C++, balancing combat and progression so VR play felt cohesive and responsive.
    • Led junior designers and worked directly with Meta partners on product vision, design goals, and milestones.
  3. Mar 2023 – Present

    Technical Designer, Co-founder

    Unlimited Fries · Grimhook (PC) · UE5 (C++/Blueprints)

    • Shipped on Steam: 250,000+ units sold, 98% positive reviews.
    • Awarded "Best Hobby Project" at the Game Development World Championship 2024.
    • Built gameplay systems and UMG UI: health bars, crosshairs, and settings menus.
  4. Jan 2024 – Jun 2025

    Project Lead, Technical Designer

    Nexrage Studios · The Colony 2044 (PC) · Unity (C#)

    • Designed, prototyped, and balanced simulation, AI, and colony-management systems.
    • Built economic, social, and environmental simulations for emergent gameplay on ScriptableObject database singletons.
    • Managed artists and UI/UX designers to create intuitive player interactions.
  5. May 2023 – Jan 2024

    Technical Designer

    Nexrage Studios · Project Chameleon · UE5 (C++/Blueprints)

    • Owned character controls, weapon systems, and combat for a multiplayer FPS.
    • Drove networked gameplay features supporting online and LAN play.
  6. Nov 2019 – May 2020

    User Experience Researcher

    id Software · DOOM Eternal · SQL, Python, Qualtrics

  7. Feb 2019 – Aug 2019

    User Experience Researcher

    Gearbox Publishing · Borderlands 3 · SQL, Python, Typeform

  8. Education

    B.A. Arts, Technology & Emerging Communication

    The University of Texas at Dallas · Animation and Games

    • Officer, Student Game Developer Association. Regular game jam and hackathon participant.
    • Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society · UTD Chess Club

06 / Contact

Building something exciting?
Let's connect.

or email contact@jaredellis.net