How to Get Hired at Tencent Games
Tencent Games operates through TiMi Studio Group (COD Mobile, Honor of Kings) and LightSpeed Studios (AAA console/PC). Global offices in Los Angeles, Singapore, London, and Seattle hire game artists at all levels.
Get Tencent Games Job Alerts →$5/month. Cancel anytime. 9,000+ game artists subscribed.
Studio at a Glance
Art Style by Studio Group
Tencent operates multiple distinct studio groups with very different visual pipelines. Target the right studio for your style.
Honor of Kings
Stylized MOBAHonor of Kings is the highest-grossing mobile game globally. The art style is stylized with vibrant colors, readable character silhouettes, and strong cultural diversity in design. Character artists need clean, readable designs that function on mobile screens.
- Vibrant stylized character design
- Mobile-optimized polycount and textures
- Strong silhouette readability
- Culturally diverse character design
Call of Duty Mobile / PUBG Mobile
Realistic Mobile ShooterTiMi’s mobile shooter work targets near-console visual quality on mobile. Artists need strong realistic character and environment modeling skills with aggressive optimization knowledge.
- Realistic military character and environment art
- Aggressive mobile LOD and texture optimization
- Consistent quality with console reference
- Real-time lighting in mobile engine
LightSpeed AAA
Console and PCLightSpeed Studios is developing ambitious AAA console and PC titles across offices in Los Angeles, Singapore, and Seattle. Job descriptions signal photorealistic open-world environments and high-fidelity character work.
- Photorealistic environment and character art
- Unreal Engine 5 pipeline experience
- Open-world environment art and level design
- AAA console quality production work
Level Infinite
Mobile and PC HybridLevel Infinite titles span multiple art styles including stylized anime (Tower of Fantasy) and semi-realistic. Artists at Level Infinite studios need strong anime-adjacent 3D work and the ability to iterate at mobile production speed.
- Anime-style 3D character modeling
- Hybrid-casual to mid-core visual quality
- Fast iteration at mobile production speed
- UI and 2D art for mobile interfaces
The Hiring Process
5 stages from application to offer. LA and global office roles conduct interviews in English.
Application and Recruiter Outreach
Tencent recruits aggressively through job boards and LinkedIn. TiMi LA and LightSpeed offices post roles on standard job boards. Tencent China roles are posted on Chinese platforms (BOSS Zhipin, Liepin) in addition to LinkedIn. Responses can be slow — follow up after 2 weeks.
2-6 weeksRecruiter Screen
30-45 minute call covering your background, location preference (TiMi LA, LightSpeed offices), and portfolio overview. Tencent’s global offices all conduct interviews in English. China-based roles require Mandarin.
30-45 minArt Lead Interview
A portfolio review with the team’s art director or lead artist. They will reference your portfolio work directly and ask about process, tooling, and how you’d match the visual direction of their specific title.
1-2 hoursTechnical Art Test
A 1-2 week brief aligned to the role’s discipline. TiMi mobile roles test optimization skills heavily. LightSpeed AAA roles test high-fidelity production output. Senior roles are compensated for tests.
1-2 weeksFinal Interview and Offer
A final panel with senior leadership at the studio. LA and global office offers are in USD/local currency with standard benefits. China office offers are in CNY.
1-2 weeksSalary Ranges
USD for Los Angeles offices. California salary disclosure laws apply to TiMi LA and LightSpeed LA roles.
| Role | Level | Salary | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environment Artist | Mid | $80,000 – $115,000 | Los Angeles |
| Character Artist | Senior | $110,000 – $155,000 | Los Angeles |
| Technical Artist | Senior | $115,000 – $160,000 | Los Angeles |
| Art Director | Lead | $160,000 – $220,000 | Los Angeles |
Portfolio Tips by Discipline
Mobile Game Artists (TiMi)
- Mobile-optimized character and environment work
- Clear polycount and texture budget specs
- LOD chain awareness in your work
- Style-matched to TiMi’s existing titles
AAA Environment Artists (LightSpeed)
- Large-scale UE5 environment scenes
- Nanite and Lumen workflow experience
- Modular kit construction systems
- Strong PBR material library work
Technical Artists
- Mobile optimization tools and scripts
- Custom Maya and Python pipeline tools
- Houdini procedural environment systems
- Shader development in UE5 or Unity
Concept Artists
- Style versatility across 2-3 distinct aesthetics
- Mobile-scale readability in designs
- Fast iteration sketches and thumbnails
- Strong character silhouette design
Know the Structure Before Applying
Tencent Games is a massive conglomerate and each studio group operates differently. TiMi LA and LightSpeed are western-style studios with standard industry hiring processes. China-based roles require Mandarin and involve very different working conditions. Riot Games (League of Legends, Valorant) is Tencent-majority-owned but fully operationally independent — apply to Riot directly if targeting those titles.
Never Miss a Tencent Games Job Posting
Get TiMi and LightSpeed roles the day they post, with salary data and direct apply links.
Cancel anytime.
FAQ
How do I get a game art job at Tencent Games?
Apply through TiMi Studio Group or LightSpeed Studios careers pages for LA/global roles. For China-based roles, Tencent’s Chinese careers platform is the primary channel. ArtBlast sends roles from both TiMi and LightSpeed when they post.
Is Riot Games part of Tencent?
Riot Games (League of Legends, Valorant, Wild Rift) is majority-owned by Tencent but operates as a fully independent company. Apply to Riot directly at riotgames.com/careers for those roles.
What salary does Tencent Games pay in Los Angeles?
California disclosure requirements apply to TiMi LA and LightSpeed LA roles. Mid-level artists typically see $80,000-$115,000. Senior artists $110,000-$155,000. Art Directors $160,000-$220,000.
Does Tencent Games hire outside China?
Yes. TiMi Studio Group has a Los Angeles office. LightSpeed Studios has offices in Los Angeles, Singapore, London, and Seattle. Level Infinite has publishing offices globally. All non-China roles conduct interviews in English.
What software does Tencent Games use?
Unreal Engine 5 for LightSpeed AAA titles. Unity and proprietary mobile engines for TiMi titles. Maya, ZBrush, Substance 3D, and Houdini are standard across most studios.
Open Roles from Top Studios
Subscribe to ArtBlast for daily listings with salary data and direct apply links.