How to Get
a Job at Blizzard

Hiring Process and Tips

As the creators of iconic games like Diablo, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch, Blizzard Entertainment is one of the most popular and successful video game companies worldwide. It’s not surprising that many people are interested in finding a job at Blizzard and becoming part of the team.

While you’re likely to already be familiar with their video games, it’s important to also research the company itself. Prospective employees should learn about the company profile, workplace and management culture, and potential career options before applying. Read on to learn more about the company, and prepare yourself for the hiring and interview process.

Why Work for Blizzard?

Blizzard Entertainment is an industry-leading video game company whose core values and mission involve nurturing a culture of creativity, individuality, and growth. This global company provides an excellent opportunity to build a career in entertainment.

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With plenty of career opportunities in game design, UX and visual design, engineering, technology, and more, you’re likely to find a dream job opportunity there. Once you land a job at Blizzard Entertainment, not only will you have opened the door to many career growth opportunities, you’ll get the chance to play a part in creating epic entertainment experiences.

Blizzard values personal growth and wellbeing. Whether you get hired as an intern or land a permanent job, there will be plenty of support available to you. There is an on-campus library, a university, offsite summits for various disciplines including engineering and art, and all kinds of classes and workshops like yoga, kendo, and even blacksmithing sessions.

Top Perks of Working for Blizzard

In addition to improving your career prospects and lifestyle, there are many other benefits to working for Blizzard Entertainment. Below are some of the top employee perks that may persuade you to work for Blizzard.

1

Game Discounts

As one of the premier companies in the gaming industry, Blizzard is dedicated to creating the most epic games and game content on the market. They understand that the best way to achieve this is by understanding what gaming means, and what gamers want. That’s why Blizzard Entertainment encourages employees to nurture their passion for gaming.

Several reviews posted on Blizzard’s Glassdoor page say Blizzard offers game discounts worth around $500 for Battle.net per year and a free World of Warcraft account. If you work at this company, you can expect to spend time gaming with your team during lunch breaks.

2

Symbols of Service

Blizzard Entertainment takes its celebration for veteran employees to the next level by handing out symbols of service. These items are representations of the world these employees helped build. Blizzard employees who celebrate their second, fifth, fifteenth, and twentieth anniversaries with the company are honored with gifts.

You will receive a beer stein on your second year, a full-sized sword on your fifth, and a shield on your tenth. If you stay for the long haul, they hand you a $3,000 platinum ring on the fifteenth year and a helm on your twentieth anniversary.

3

Team and Company-wide Events

Working constantly with no time for fun isn’t good for any employee. Blizzard believes that people perform at their best when they do what they love, especially with friends. That is why they hold a variety of events every year at office locations worldwide.

During Halloween, Blizzard Entertainment turns the office into a trick-or-treat wonderland for kids. The company always has a big party during the holidays and holds a feast for people working on Thanksgiving or Christmas. They also celebrate game launches, milestone festivals, internal game tournaments, and National Take Your Dog to Work Day.

4

Healthcare, Wealth-care, and Insurance

Blizzard employees have access to terrific healthcare benefits, including medical plans, dental plans, vision plans, health savings, flexible spending accounts, Tele-Video medicine, and life and disability insurance.

Their savings and financial benefits include a 401K retirement savings plan, a 529 college savings plan, as well as financial wellness programs and resources. They also offer things like pet insurance coverage and adoption assistance.

Blizzard Entertainment provides workers with paid vacation leave, holidays, and float days. When an employee, or a member of their family, gets sick, the game development company also offers paid parental and sick leave.

Blizzard: Company Profile

Blizzard: Company Profile

Learning about Blizzard’s history as a company will be vital in helping you get a job there. In 1991, UCLA graduates Michael Morhaime, Frank Pearce, and Allen Adham started the company that eventually became Blizzard Entertainment. Originally called Silicon & Synapse Inc., the company first produced game ports for other studios.

The name became Blizzard Entertainment after distributor Davidson & Associates acquired the company in 1994. That same year, Blizzard Entertainment released the breakthrough hit Warcraft: Orcs & Humans. Their current parent company, Activision Blizzard, merged with the large conglomerate in 2008 and purchased its shares in 2013.

Since then, the company has produced some of the world’s most critically-acclaimed adventure games such as Hearthstone, Overwatch, and a collection of sequels and expansions to their main franchises.

Blizzard’s Company Culture

As one of the global companies leading the gaming industry, Blizzard Entertainment is the dream company for any avid video game player. They have worked hard to foster a culture that encourages collaboration, creativity, diversity, and inclusivity.

However, Glassdoor reviews by current and former Blizzard employees have claimed that Blizzard Entertainment does not always provide a supportive environment for its female employees.

There have been reports of harassment and gender discrimination at Activisation Blizzard, Blizzard’s parent company. Recently, more than 1,600 former and current employees sent an open letter to the company criticizing their poor response to the complaints and lawsuits.

Blizzard’s Top Achievements

Blizzard Entertainment is one of the most renowned names in the video game industry. Since its inception in 1991, the company has developed and published several best-selling games. The list includes Diablo 3, which sold more than 30 million copies, and Starcraft which topped the charts in 1998.

Some of Blizzard’s projects, like World of Warcraft, were inspired by board games like Dungeons and Dragons. The company may not have pioneered Real-Time Strategy (RTS) games, but they revolutionized and refined the format to be one of the core genres of PC gaming.

Aside from receiving several rewards and achievements for their games, the company has also received a few recognitions. The International Game Developers Association named Activision Blizzard as one of the most desirable video game companies to work for in 2014.

What Is Life as a Blizzard Employee Like?

What Is Life as a Blizzard Employee Like?

Life as a Blizzard employee tends to be a little different than working at an average company. As a game studio that encourages its employees to embrace their inner geek, working at Blizzard feels like you’re part of a community of people who love games. But is Blizzard a good company to work for, and should you consider applying there?

Depending on your team, your day-to -day life would consist of creating an epic gaming experience. You will be working with a group of competent and talented people. Although the company tries to provide people with an adequate work-life balance, the job can still be demanding.

Some reviews posted in Glassdoor say their team has a flexible work culture, while others claim their work-life balance is non-existent. A considerable number of people also complained about how the salary doesn’t keep up with the cost of living in their city.

As reported in many news articles, Activision Blizzard has also been facing damaging allegations. Many former and current employees complained about sexual harassment and gender discrimination. You might want to read up on these issues and the Activision Blizzard Lawsuit before applying for a job at Blizzard.

Is It Hard to Get a Job at Blizzard?

Given how popular the company is in the gaming industry, it is hard to get a job at Blizzard. Because of Blizzard Entertainment’s reputation, there is never a shortage of aspiring workers with strong professional experience applying each year.

The company has a standard hiring process, but it can be a challenge to stand out among the pool of applicants, but it is not impossible. Blizzard Entertainment will consider you a good candidate if you fit in with their core values, show your dedication, and have a strong cover letter.

What Do I Need to Study to Work at Blizzard?

If you browse the jobs on Blizzard Entertainment’s career page, you may notice that some of their job listings don’t have a minimum education requirement. Most Blizzard careers in the art, animation, and sound departments value an applicant’s job experience higher than their college education.

However, career options in departments such as engineering, game design, UI or UX usually require at least a bachelor’s degree for entry-level jobs, and at least a master’s degree for upper management. You may need to study computer science or a related college degree if you plan on joining any of these departments.

Top Tips to Ace Your Job Application for Blizzard

Top Tips to Ace Your Job Application for Blizzard

Whether you’re applying for an entry-level position or a senior role at Blizzard Entertainment, you can expect the competition to be tight. If you want to increase your chance of success, you will need to prepare for the hiring process. Here are some tips you can follow to land a job at Blizzard.

Learn Their Core Values

Before you apply for a job at Blizzard Entertainment, you will have to research the company and know its mission, goals, and core values. Some companies may only use these statements as a way to inspire and increase employee morale, but Blizzard takes these things seriously.

If you don’t fit their company values or don’t agree with their goals, there’s a high chance you won’t land the job. You will be able to use all this information about the company to your advantage by letting it guide your answers in the interview.

Review the Job Application

When browsing Blizzard’s careers page, don’t just read the job titles. You might notice that some of the career options have the same names. For example, you might find both a senior software engineer for graphics and a senior software engineer for tools.

While both positions are for a senior software engineer, they handle different areas. It’s crucial to review the job application and understand what roles and responsibilities are expected, and the required skills and background experience they’re looking for in a potential employee.

Practice Interview Questions

The interview process at Blizzard tends to be relaxed and casual. There will be several questions about the company and job-specific topics, which you can find posted by previous applicants on Glassdoor. You can also expect a few common questions during the interview.

To put your best foot forward, it’s very important to prepare and practice your answers before the big day. To do this, make a list of popular interview questions, including those reported on Glassdoor that have been used on previous applicants.

Common Job Titles at Blizzard

Blizzard Entertainment currently offers hundreds of job openings at all levels, from temp jobs to a few senior directors. Whether you have a degree, or experience in game design, engineering, technology, art, or animation, you’ll find something suitable for you. Below are some common job titles at Blizzard.

Level: entry-level to mid-level

Average salary: $93,758

Experience requirements: strong C++ programming skills, and experience in coding, developing test strategies, test harness, and instrumentation

Education requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or a related field

A software engineer works closely with designers to develop and implement new game systems for players. They also troubleshoot issues, resolve defects, and maintain and optimize system code.

Level: senior level

Average salary: $125,642

Experience requirements: 5+ years experience as a JavaScript developer

Education requirements: Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Computer Science or a related field

A senior software engineer leads assigned feature developments and coaches fellow teammates throughout the project. A big part of their role is designing and building new services, tools, and features. They will also set up and implement automatic testing within their area.

Level: senior level

Average salary: $121,882

Experience requirements: 5+ years working as a UX designer in the gaming or interactive design field

Education requirements: not specified, but a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Design and or Psychology may help

A Senior UX Designer works closely with game designers, artists, and engineers to conceptualize, design, and implement game features and systems to improve player experience.

Level: entry-level

Average salary: $71,574

Experience requirements: 2+ years of game development experience

Education requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in Game Design, Computer Engineering, or a related field

The role of a game designer usually involves designing characters, levels, puzzles, art, and animation. They work with other department leads and the design group to bring the game to life.

Level: mid-level

Average salary: $69,806

Experience requirements: 5+ years of experience as an environment artist

Education requirements: not specified, but a Bachelor’s Degree in Design or Art may help

An environment artist is responsible for helping to define and maintain the art director’s artistic vision. They create the architecture, backgrounds, layouts, and environments within the game.

Blizzard Hiring Process

Hiring Process

After learning more about the details about the company and common Blizzard jobs, what’s the process to apply for a job at Blizzard? There are multiple ways to do so. Below are some of the common steps you can expect during the hiring process.

Application

The first step in every hiring process is finding a job opening. You can browse through Blizzard’s career page, or visit third-party recruitment websites like Indeed or LinkedIn. Once you find your dream job at Blizzard, it’s time to apply.

Be sure to update your resume, and only include the information that can make you a suitable candidate for the job position. Mention your achievements, projects, and soft and hard skills. Once everything is ready, submit your application and resume online.

Phone Interview

If the recruitment team finds your resume and cover letter impressive, you can expect a member to call you for an initial phone interview. It might take a week or more before they get to you, so be sure to stay alert.

This interview is only a quick screening call that can take a few minutes to an hour. The recruiter will see if you’re a good candidate for the company and if you qualify for an in-person interview. A Blizzard recruiter may ask you some behavioral questions and simulations.

Panel Interview

If you pass the initial screening stage, you will be invited for an in-person interview at Blizzard’s campus. Again, the overall process can be slow. It may take a few weeks before they reach out to you. Take your time getting ready and practicing for this next step.

Unlike in the phone interview, it will be the team you would potentially be working with performing the interview. They may also ask you to complete a few exercises or tests during this stage. You must demonstrate your skills and knowledge for the job.

Results and Offer

If you complete the interview, and they find you suitable for the job, the HR department will call and discuss the job offer. Sometimes, you may be able to negotiate a deal if you feel Blizzard’s salary and benefits are not enough.

During this conversation, the HR officer will also discuss your role and responsibilities. You will then have to decide whether you will take the job or not. If you accept the position, you will have to prepare and submit the relevant documents.

Should I Seek a Job at Blizzard?

Getting a job at Blizzard would be a good career decision, especially if you love creating epic game experiences, and have a background in this field. As one of the premier companies in the gaming industry, it’s not surprising that many people seek employment with Blizzard.

Aside from its reputation as an excellent video game company, their comprehensive benefits, and insurance plans make Blizzard an attractive company. If you see Blizzard Entertainment as your dream company, don’t hesitate to check for job openings and apply.

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