Activision Reviews

Pros

Smart, talented people. Primary focus of the company is to make video games. Room for advancement for those who can make the cut.

Cons

Independent studio model has pros and cons. Poor performing studios can survive longer because of it - high performing studios sometimes don't get the recognition they deserve.

Advice to Senior Management

Invest in more new IP, more new studio talent, facilities for your employees, less money on lavish parties or big name hollywood talent

Pros

There are GREAT people at Activision.
The end of year bonus can be nice.
There are occasional perks and sometimes they are good.

Cons

Very long hours, Activision will work you like crazy. This is mainly due to the fact they are understaffed.

Upper management is very poor at making decisions. A lot of things are done last minute and the decision makes itself (usually at a cost of quality of life or the game). There is also a lot of committee decision making.

Pros

Pay, smart people, cood industry

Cons

cheap! does not invest in resources, technology, headcount, and innovation outside of game development.

Pros

Pros:
- #1 publisher, recognizable on the resume
- Enormous resources (if your project is deemed worthy)
- Motivation comes from working with dedicated people (in production, not sure of other depts)

Cons

Cons:
- milking the margins comes first. So, if you love games, be prepared to leave that love at the door
- the project you're on matters a lot more than it should, even if you're doing as much or less than someone on a less prominent title. recognition and reward follows the revenue-generators only.
- all other departments will get recognition before production (if production even gets recognized). it shows in the bonus/incentive structure. it shows in the promotion rate. it shows in all the company events that the executives speak in.
- it always felt like the execs just want to be in hollywood. they make frequent, huge expenditures to play with hollywood instead of investing it back into the company (new IPs?) or its employees.

Advice to Senior Management

you need to retain top talent through any 2 of the 3 (at least): compensation, growth opportunity, and security.

Pros

Working at Activision is great because we're the top publishing company of the game industry. The workplace is great, and the development team I'm in is very united. It's fun to make video games. The support and work perks are pretty good.

Cons

Its a little frustrating the poor work and life balance. I love making video games. I take pride in my work. I want to deliver a really good fun quality polished game, but certain conditions don't allow this. Rushing and crunching are bad. My heath suffers from it. Which makes me feel under-appreciated and disposable.

Advice to Senior Management

If you want 100% you must give 700% back. 200% salary, 200% vacation, and 3 years development cycles. That would make me really happy.

Pros

They provided free food for the days in which we had 12 hours of testing

Cons

Terrible hours
Not a stimulating working environment

Pros

- Name brand company
- Having to work on popular games titles

Cons

- Long hours
- No balance between personal & work life

Advice to Senior Management

Work smart, not long

Pros

You can sometimes play some amazing games, and have contact with studios that can work miracles. There is also a lounge where workers can go on breaks to eat and play video games. The area is also one of the best, with multiple restaurants to choose from within walking distance.

Cons

Activsion has great games, but a lot of people in charge don't seem like they should be. Most of the managers don't understand their own jobs, and usually want you to take steps that are wholly unnecessary. Add in a constant nagging feeling that they'll never really want you to advance, and you will be in a frustrating and boring position. No matter how good your work ethic seems to be, from finding advanced bugs or taking on the jobs of QA leads. You won't be appreciated and constantly nagged over "small" things that seem odd during late game releases.

Advice to Senior Management

Pay more attention to the workers that aren't already in a higher position. Watching a manager only walk down the hallway towards the restroom, or to speak with the Lead over "written" performance is discouraging. Take some time to get to know the workers, view them for yourself and see what they are doing.

Pros

ok benefits, ok salary, ok work enviornment

Cons

too much work, not much salary, not good management, not good communications,

Pros

This is a very high profile company to work for.

Cons

The company is too focused on quantity, not quality. It is constantly trying to push sequels out the door every year without much thoughts to innovation.

Advice to Senior Management

Upper management at the developer side are out of touch and are poor at project management. There is total disregard for quality of life outside of the workplace. They believe the only way to get a project done is to work ridiculous long hours for months at a time. Management needs to take a step back and realize the problem starts at the top. The actual people who are making the games are talented. It is the mismanagement of the projects that are making the people unhappy with their jobs.