Activision Reviews

Pros

-Working on games
-Smart coworkers
-Good Benefits
-Exciting brands that people enjoy the world over
-2 weeks off during Christmas

Cons

-Growth is built off schmoozing and kissing upper management buttocks
-The company is built off a high school system. The more you drink the better your off
-There is no recognition for your hard work
-Working on the same brands over and over again
-Employees are an easily expendable commodity

Advice to Senior Management

Grow internally. Respect employees that care about the company and brand, not how much alcohol that can be consumed during company functions

Pros

Discounted games, free drinks, cool parties, great brands, smart co-workers.

Cons

Boy's club where promotions are given by how much you're "in" with senior management, not the quality of your work, lomg hours, too many "yes" men/women

Advice to Senior Management

Promote people that work hard for you, stop milking the same brands, understand your consumer base

Pros

Create friends and build great networks. Free drinks-non alcohol.

Cons

Level of respect is low. Everyone fights for higher position and not by perfomance. It's all base on the people you know to advance.
The fear of losing job because it's a contract job.

Advice to Senior Management

Give permanent position to Testers.

Pros

fun and refreshing, exciting, challenging

Cons

long hours, tough time tables

Advice to Senior Management

listen to the people

Pros

Good parties, people are hard working and team players, Fun environment to work in - games are sold at lower prices to employees.

Cons

Not a great company for advancement. Some managers are not good at managing and it's incredibly frustrating. No ESPP, no option grants for anyone below VP level.

Advice to Senior Management

Recognize that middle managers work hard and contribute and deserve more than what you are giving. options should be given to everyone not just the higher ups. bring back ESPP

Pros

Entertainment industry, the people you meet, highly competant employees.

Cons

Senior management and their egos. How did some of these people get to where they are at anyway? Senior management has lost control of what's really going on with the people who actually do the real work.

Advice to Senior Management

Learn to respect the people that support you.

Pros

Talented co-workers.
Big marketing budgets.
Strong franchises to work on.

Cons

Very heavy workload.
Extremely hierarchical culture.
Questionable senior management decisions.
Most conservative culture in the industry.

Advice to Senior Management

Let people play games at work once in a while.

Pros

Good pay and great benefits.

Cons

Employees are not valued and seen as numbers. People are moved around internally quite frequently and talented people are often let go even though they are top performers.

Advice to Senior Management

Respect your employees and recognize and retain the individuals that are talented.

Pros

place is full of smart/capable people, great place to cut your teeth on games business, lots of people leave for promotions elsewhere,

Cons

hard hitting culture, long hours, poor performers are shunned, not "corporate" persay...but definitely a "business minded" culture

Advice to Senior Management

Keep investing in your best people, they're the ones creating the hit franchises

Pros

Fun industry. Relatively large marketing budgets. High caliber peers.

Cons

Even more hierarchical and top-down management style than Disney. Low confidence in senior management.

Heavy workload.

Advice to Senior Management

If you need to bring in sr managers from outside the company, please bring some in with entertainment or software experience.