This interview process is for a Senior Software Engineer (Level 2) position at Electronic Arts. It is designed to assess a candidate's technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, system design skills, and cultural fit within the gaming industry.
Rounds·4
Timeline·~14d
Experience·5 - 10 yrs
Comp band·US$140000 - US$180000
Interview time·180 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 06 phases
01 / 06Phase 01 of 06
Weeks 1-2: DSA fundamentals. Practice medium/hard problems.
Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures and Algorithms. Cover arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash tables, sorting, searching, and dynamic programming. Practice problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, focusing on medium to hard difficulty.
Phase 02 of 06
Weeks 3-4: C++ mastery, OOP, STL, concurrency.
Weeks 3-4: Deep dive into C++ and Object-Oriented Programming. Review memory management, pointers, templates, STL, and concurrency. If applicable, study C# for Unity or other relevant languages.
Phase 03 of 06
Weeks 5-6: System Design principles, scalable architectures.
Weeks 5-6: System Design. Study distributed systems, microservices, databases (SQL/NoSQL), caching, load balancing, and API design. Practice designing scalable systems relevant to gaming (e.g., matchmaking, leaderboards, game servers).
Phase 04 of 06
Weeks 7-8: Game dev concepts, engines, AI, networking.
Weeks 7-8: Game Development Concepts & Technologies. Understand game loops, rendering pipelines, physics, AI, networking, and common game engines (Unreal Engine, Unity). Review EA's specific technologies if possible.
Phase 05 of 06
Week 9: Behavioral questions (STAR method), leadership.
Week 9: Behavioral and Situational Questions. Prepare examples using the STAR method for common questions related to teamwork, conflict resolution, leadership, and handling failure. Reflect on your career achievements and challenges.
Phase 06 of 06
Week 10: Mock interviews, EA research, prepare questions.
Week 10: Mock Interviews and Company Research. Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors. Research EA's latest games, company news, and values. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.
Questions
Locations
Fig · Regions — 03 locations
01 / 03Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Rounds
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
Technical Screening · 45 min · Software Engineer
This initial technical screening round focuses on fundamental programming skills. You will be asked to solve coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms, on a shared coding platform. The interviewer will assess your ability to write efficient, correct, and well-structured code, as well as your approach to problem-solving and debugging.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
Find the kth smallest element in a binary search tree.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
System Design · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer / Architect
This round assesses your ability to design and architect complex software systems. You will be presented with a high-level problem (e.g., designing a game's matchmaking system, a player inventory service) and expected to propose a robust, scalable, and maintainable solution. Focus on identifying requirements, defining components, data models, APIs, and discussing trade-offs.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a system to handle real-time chat for a massively multiplayer online game.
Design a scalable leaderboard system for a competitive game.
How would you design a system to detect and prevent cheating in an online game?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Behavioral Interview · 45 min · Hiring Manager / Senior Team Member
This round focuses on your behavioral and situational responses. You'll be asked questions about your past experiences, how you've handled specific challenges, worked in teams, and demonstrated leadership. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide clear and concise answers with specific examples.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a teammate and how you resolved it.
Describe a project where you had to take initiative or go above and beyond.
How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback?
Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Hiring Manager Interview · 30 min · Hiring Manager
This final round is typically with the hiring manager. It's an opportunity for both sides to ensure a good fit. The manager will assess your overall suitability for the team, discuss your career aspirations, and answer any remaining questions you have about the role, team, or company culture. This is also where salary expectations are often discussed.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
What are your career aspirations for the next 3-5 years?
What interests you most about this specific team and its projects?
Do you have any questions for me about the team, the role, or EA?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on Electronic Arts loops
Other guides
