---
title: '3D Character Artist (Mid-Senior) at thatgamecompany'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/3d-character-artist-mid-senior-thatgamecompany-united-states-hnr65zscpf8x'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-14'
---

# 3D Character Artist (Mid-Senior) at thatgamecompany

- **Company:** thatgamecompany
- **Location:** United States
- **Compensation:** $81k–$114k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** remote
- **Posted:** 2026-09-02
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-14
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/thatgamecompany/36e101a4-c7ba-4884-8999-cd04abb979ee/application

**Skills:** Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Photoshop, Texture Creation, Material Editing, Maya Rigging, Maya Skinning, 3D Modeling, Sky Engine, Human Anatomy, Animal Anatomy, Clothing Construction

> Create 3D characters and cosmetics for Sky games, including skinning, prototyping, and collaboration with cross-functional teams. The role requires proficiency in Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Painter, along with strong self-motivation and attention to detail.

## Job description

3D Character Artist (Mid-Senior) thatgamecompany is looking for a Mid-Senior 3D Character Artist to join our team!

Responsibilities:

- Create 3D characters and cosmetics in a visual style aligned with the world of Sky
- Skinning character and cosmetic assets
- Collaborate with project leads, concept artists, designers, and engineers
- Brainstorm ideas and create rapid 3D prototypes during the concept and design phase
- Support the rest of the 3D team to create character assets
- Review and fix bugs of all complexities
- Contribute to documentation and resource libraries for the art department
- Promote, contribute to, and participate in a culture of inclusion and diversity

Must Haves:

- Online portfolio demonstrating character art skills
- 3+ years of experience as a 3D Character Artist at a game studio
- Proficient modeling skills in Maya or equivalent
- Self-motivated, humble, and a team player
- Open-minded and able to implement feedback from peers and art directors in a timely manner
- Passion for creating memorable characters for games
- Understanding of Industry Standard Software such as Photoshop, ZBrush, and Texture Creation/Material Editing (Substance Painter/Unity)
- Familiarity with Maya rigging/skinning

Nice to Haves:

- A passionate Gamer
- A Sky Player
- Human Anatomy & Animal Anatomy knowledge
- Understanding of clothing construction and real-world materials
- Strive to create a gaming experience that brings a positive impact to the gaming world
- Experience creating a game from the ground up
- Portfolio demonstrating a variety of art styles

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S or Canada. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. The salary range for this position is $81,000 USD to $114,000 USD annually, with the opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. This salary range is an estimate, and the actual salary may vary based on the Company’s compensation practices.

Employees in this position are eligible to participate in the Company’s standard employee benefit programs, which currently include the following: medical, dental, vision, 401k, and paid time off. Our base pay is benchmarked against regional market and industry data and is adjusted to reflect the cost of living in your specific geographic area. We look forward to meeting you! #L1-Remote

## About thatgamecompany

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: thatgamecompany is an independent game studio dedicated to creating timeless, emotionally resonant interactive entertainment that inspires human connection worldwide.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Privately Held; last reported funding round in 2022 with $160M investment)
- **Headquarters**: Santa Monica, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2006 (founded on May 15, 2006)
- **Founders**: Jenova Chen, Kellee Santiago

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Video games / Interactive entertainment
- **Target customers**: B2C – broad audience of all ages and backgrounds; mobile, console, and PC gamers
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “Create timeless entertainment that makes positive change to the human psyche worldwide.”

## Products & Services
- **[flOw (2007)](https://thatgamecompany.com/our-history/)**: A downloadable game originally a Flash title, remade for PlayStation Network with enhanced visuals and multiplayer. Focuses on intuitive, meditative gameplay.
- **[Flower (2009)](https://thatgamecompany.com/our-history/)**: A PS3 title where the player controls the wind to guide petals through landscapes. Evokes emotions of tranquility and wonder. Inducted into the Smithsonian’s permanent collection.
- **[Journey (2012)](https://thatgamecompany.com/our-history/)**: Award-winning PS3 game about a pilgrim crossing a desert towards a mountain. Known for its anonymous multiplayer cooperation and emotional storytelling.
- **[Sky: Children of the Light (2019)](https://thatgamecompany.com/our-history/)**: Free-to-play mobile/console/PC game (spiritual successor to Journey). Players explore magical realms, fly using capes, and meet other players. Available on iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Windows. Reached 100 million installations by May 2021. Chosen as Apple’s iPhone Game of the Year 2019.
- **Upcoming fifth game (in development)**: Described by founder Jenova Chen as “like a theme park” and “the most ambitious game I have built.”

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue – $17.8M (estimated 2025 data); Total Funding – $36.1M per LinkedIn (prior rounds) **plus** a $160M investment announced in March 2022 (with Pixar co-founder Edwin Catmull as advisor). (Sources conflict slightly; the $160M appears to be a later, larger round not reflected in the LinkedIn summary)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Benchmark (led Series A), Capital Today (led Series B), Edwin Catmull (advisor, former Pixar co-founder). Past partners include Sony Computer Entertainment (initial contract for three PlayStation Network games).
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 16% YoY to ~198 employees; operates across 15 countries; Sky continues to expand platforms (Windows early access April 2024); active job postings: 24 (yearly trend +4.3%). Announced a new game jam (“thatgamejam”) in June 2025 focused on creativity and emotion.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Unique emotional design philosophy**: Games are designed by first mapping out desired player emotions rather than mechanics, creating experiences rarely found in mainstream gaming.
- **Artistic credibility and legacy**: flOw, Flower, and Journey are critically acclaimed and exhibited in museums like the Smithsonian. The studio is recognized as a pioneer of art games.
- **Broad accessibility**: Games are intuitive, controller-friendly, and designed to be enjoyed by people of all ages and cultures.
- **Long-term relationship with a passionate community**: Sky has a dedicated player base with millions of installations, supported by live operations and regular content updates.
- **Creative autonomy**: The company prioritizes innovation over blockbuster financial pressure, enabling risk-taking on emotionally rich projects.

## Strategic Focus
- **Expanding Sky: Children of the Light** – continued platform releases, live content, and regional brand growth (e.g., dedicated brand managers for Indonesia, China).
- **Developing the next-generation title** – described as “the most ambitious” yet, with a theme-park-like scale.
- **Deepening AI and machine learning capabilities** – open positions for Senior Machine Learning Engineer and Full-stack Engineer (AI application focused) indicate investment in AI-driven gameplay or operations.
- **Fostering internal creativity** – initiatives like thatgamejam encourage experimentation across the studio.
- **Strengthening global presence** – operating in 15 countries with localized teams for publishing, support, and marketing.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: The studio describes itself as “compassionate, creative” and values “integrity and personal growth within an environment of intense collaboration and experimentation.” Employee rating on LinkedIn: 4.2/5.0 (11 reviews), with Culture score 4.3, Work-Life 4.2, Compensation 4.2, Career 4.1.
- **Remote/Hybrid/Office Policy**: Not explicitly stated in provided sources, but headquarters in Santa Monica, California is a physical studio. The company previously planned a second studio in SF Bay Area (cancelled due to COVID) and now operates distributed across 15 countries, suggesting flexible/remote options are possible.
- **Notable Perks & Engineering Culture**: Emphasis on “making magic” and pushing artistic boundaries; tech stack includes Kubernetes, Docker, Prometheus, Protobuf, Tableau, microservices, and GitHub. Employees come from top entertainment/tech companies (Pixar, Blizzard, Riot Games, Amazon, Unity, etc.), indicating a high-caliber peer group.
- **Growth Opportunity**: With 24 active job postings (including Engineering, AI, Art, Marketing, Data) and a yearly hiring trend +4.3%, the studio is expanding. Roles such as Senior Data Analyst, Senior Machine Learning Engineer, and 3D Environment Artist signal opportunities to work on flagship products.
- **Mission-driven work**: Opportunity to contribute to games that aim to make a positive impact on players’ lives and expand the emotional range of the medium.

## Sources
1. [thatgamecompany.com – Official Site, About, Careers, News](https://thatgamecompany.com/)
2. [thatgamecompany Careers Page](https://thatgamecompany.com/careers/)
3. [LinkedIn Company Profile for thatgamecompany](https://www.linkedin.com/company/thatgamecompany)
4. [Wikipedia – thatgamecompany](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThatGameCompany)
5. [thatgamecompany – Our History](https://thatgamecompany.com/our-history/)

## Other roles at thatgamecompany

- [Staff Systems Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-systems-software-engineer-thatgamecompany-united-states-2xspsxd4nkfa) — United States
- [Game Engine Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/game-engine-engineer-thatgamecompany-shanghai-b7ge525n3wyc) — Shanghai, China
- [Build Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/build-engineer-thatgamecompany-united-states-188c9cwh2mnb) — United States
- [Technical Game Designer](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-game-designer-thatgamecompany-shanghai-gm4tx8xkhkr4) — Shanghai, China
- [Marketing Lead - Europe](https://feeny.ai/job/marketing-lead-europe-thatgamecompany-london-7h8tx7wgfvxj) — London, United Kingdom
- [Regional Creative Lead, NA, EMEA & LATAM](https://feeny.ai/job/regional-creative-lead-na-emea-latam-thatgamecompany-united-states-k4ks4fj458x4) — United States
- [UGC & Creator Community Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/ugc-creator-community-specialist-thatgamecompany-shanghai-sfsxkhkb70sp) — Shanghai, China
- [IP & Experiential Marketing Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/ip-experiential-marketing-manager-thatgamecompany-shanghai-sqyjzh1vnj0e) — Shanghai, China
- [Senior/Principal Graphics Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-principal-graphics-engineer-thatgamecompany-united-states-7ds3q5qbpk3y) — United States
- [Senior Graphics Engineer,Shanghai](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-graphics-engineer-shanghai-thatgamecompany-shanghai-djy8f8bacxbt) — Shanghai, China