Game Server Programmer
Keywords Studios3 months ago
Tokyo, JapanMid Level
Responsibilities
- Implement multiplayer, real-time networking, and networked game features.
- Create and deploy game server builds for Unreal Engine or proprietary game engines.
- Develop lobby, matchmaking, ranking, and other peripheral server-side systems.
- Analyze network traffic and debug, optimize, and improve low-level network and game-engine systems.
- Design, test, document, and maintain clean, performant code.
- Review code, mentor engineers, and uphold software engineering best practices.
- Own large and mission-critical areas of the codebase and determine feature feasibility.
- Estimate tasks, coordinate with engineering and non-engineering teams, and deliver features on time.
Requirements
- A university degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline, or relevant professional experience.
- For Japan-based candidates, at least 3 years of professional software engineering experience and 2 years of professional game-server development experience.
- Strong C++ and C# experience and good experience with programming languages used for peripheral server-side systems.
- Experience with multiplayer integration, game-server creation and deployment, networking, network protocols, and lobby or matchmaking systems.
- Strong debugging, optimization, performance-analysis, software design, architecture, and communication skills.
- Conversational Japanese proficiency at JLPT N3 or above and English proficiency sufficient for technical reading, writing, and discussion.
- Comfort with source code management systems such as Git, SVN, or Perforce.
- Preferred experience with Go, Java, Bash, PowerShell, other game engines, at least three years in the video game industry, and at least one released game.
Benefits
- Permanent full-time employment with a six-month probation period.
- Flexible remote work while residing in Japan, with core hours from 11:00 to 16:00 and office access in Tokyo; onsite work may occasionally be required for specialized equipment.
- Legal support for visa applications and possible permission to work outside Japan during the probation period depending on circumstances.
- Monthly home-office equipment and supplies allowance of 15,000 JPY, private Japanese or English tutoring, and commute-fee coverage.
- Weekends and national holidays, summer/winter vacation, annual paid leave, bereavement leave, sick leave, social insurance, and parental leave, with some leave benefits applicable after probation.
- Annual performance and contribution reviews, access to digital learning materials, and manager-supported training curriculum.
About Keywords Studios
Keywords Studios provides outsourced game development, art, audio, localization, QA, player support, and marketing services to video game developers, publishers, and entertainment platforms. It operates as a global external development partner across the product lifecycle, offering co-development, testing, and live-ops support on a services basis. Headquartered in Dublin and acquired by EQT in 2024, the company counts customers such as Microsoft and Ubisoft.