Game Development and Testing Intern
Internship (For-credit/Unpaid) | Remote | June 1-August 9 | 10 hours/week
The Game: Atlas Arena
Atlas Arena is the first product of Nexus Games. Atlas is a new kind of game—built to defend and advance human intelligence in an era dominated by AI. Our mission is to help people sharpen critical skills like adaptability, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking through play. The world doesn’t need more time-wasting games—it needs experiences that make people smarter, stronger, and more connected.
At the heart of Atlas is a competitive, team-based experience where players face abstract challenges in limited time windows. These challenges live inside The Arena, a daily set of levels within the broader game. Designed to be engaging but non-addictive, Atlas strengthens the most human skills in ways that feel cinematic, social, challenging, and meaningful.
Learn more about Atlas Arena here.
The Program: Game Development & Testing Internship
This is a ten week, for-credit internship designed for students who want to build entry-level experience in game development. You will transition from being a play-tester to becoming a builder, moving from the analysis of core game mechanics to designing and improving a current Atlas Arena prototype.
You’ll join a remote cohort of interns to explore the "thinking games" genre, identifying where strategy and mechanics intersect to create a seamless player experience. You'll play-test our game, work in small groups, and attend weekly Feedback Sessions with our team.
Learn more about the internship here.
Intern Responsibilities
Game Design & Ideation
- Game Iteration: Collaborate in small groups to improve a current Atlas Arena prototype by designing new mechanics, elements, and visuals.
- AI-Powered Development: Leverage Claude Code and AI tools to accelerate technical design and iterate on logic-based "thinking game" systems.
QA & Technical Testing
- Play Testing: Regularly participate in live challenges and test competitions in the Arena.
- Bug Hunting: Identify friction points, catch technical bugs, and meticulously document the player experience during gameplay.
Reporting & Feedback
- Actionable Reporting: Master the art of providing technical, clear, and actionable feedback to the development team.
- Presenting Deliverables: Present weekly deliverables during live Feedback Sessions led by our team.
Internship Benefits
- Academic Course Credit: This is a for-credit program designed to fulfill internship requirements for your university.
- Portfolio Building: Gain hands-on experience in game theory and QA methodology that you can point to in future tech or game dev interviews.
- Flexible Growth: A 10-week, remote commitment (6–10 hours/week) that fits into your summer schedule.
- Direct Impact: Play a direct role in refining the mechanics of a new generation of thinking competitions.
Who you are
- Current college student studying game development, computer science, engineering, artificial intelligence, or a related field.
- Basic technical experience with Claude Code/Supabase, relational databases, and rapid prototyping.
- Gaming Native: You love strategy or logic-based games and are eager to see how they are built from the ground up.
- Analytical Thinker: You enjoy the "puzzle" of optimization. You don't just see a game; you see the logic and systems running underneath it.
- Detail-Obsessed: You notice the tiny friction points and bugs that others miss, and you have the patience to document them.
- Clear Communicator: You can translate a complex technical issue into clear, actionable feedback.
- Strong Collaborator: You enjoy working with others and are ready to be an active team member for the duration of the program.
Application Timeline
- Applications Open: March 12, 2026
- Application Deadline: May 17, 2026
- Program Dates: June 1, 2026 – August 9, 2026
How to Apply:
- Submit your application on Handshake.
- If you meet the role requirements, you will be invited to conduct a self-recorded (asynchronous) interview via Typeform.
- A final decision will be made based on your self-recorded interview. All applicants will receive a response from our team.
If you’re having trouble with your application, please reach out to us at hello@atlasarena.com