Visual Effects Artist - 2D Mobile Games

About the role

A mobile game studio is looking for a Visual Effects Artist to design and create 2D visual effects for casual, puzzle and match-3 games aimed at Western audiences. The role works closely with local art and product teams and collaborates with the development team in Beijing.

Key responsibilities

• Design and create 2D visual effects such as UI feedback, match-3 explosions, booster/power-up animations, screen transitions and celebratory win states.
• Craft tactile, punchy "game juice" animations so that swipes, taps and combos feel satisfying.
• Implement, tune and optimise 2D VFX assets inside Cocos Creator, including particle systems and UI animations.
• Work with the local art and product teams and the Beijing development team for smooth asset handoff and technical implementation.
• Manage and optimise texture atlases, sprite sheets and animations to reduce draw calls and keep performance smooth on mobile and web platforms.

Required profile

• Diploma or Bachelor's degree in Digital Media, 2D Animation, Fine Arts or a related field.
• 2+ years of experience in mobile game development, with a proven track record of 2D VFX for casual, puzzle or match-3 games.
• Deep understanding of the Western (US/EU) gaming market's aesthetics: vibrant colours, clean shapes, stylised designs and high visual clarity.
• Professional proficiency in English; fluent spoken and written Mandarin to work with the Beijing team.

Required skills

• Hands-on experience with Cocos Creator is highly preferred; Unity 2D experience is welcome if willing to adapt to Cocos.
• Mastery of Photoshop, After Effects or Animate/Flash for stylised 2D sprite sheets and textures.
• Solid understanding of 2D rendering principles, particle systems and basic custom shader tweaks in Cocos Creator.
• Proficiency with AI image generation tools such as Midjourney and Nano-banana, and skilled prompt engineering for 2D art assets, textures and UI elements.