Getting ready for an interview at Electronic Arts as a software engineer? The interview will cover 10 to 12 different topics. In preparing for the interview:
Interview Query regularly looks at data about interviews. We used that data to make this guide, which includes sample interview questions and an overview of the Electronic Arts Software Engineer interview.
For any developer, an opportunity to interview at Electronic Arts (EA) represents achieving a gaming industry dream As one of the world’s largest and most influential video game companies behind blockbusters like The Sims, Madden NFL, and Apex Legends, EA sets a high bar for technical excellence.
This means the EA software engineering interview gauntlet is intense. Expect complex coding challenges knowledge checks on computer science fundamentals and behavioral questions to assess your problem-solving skills.
With competition fierce for these coveted roles building iconic games, advanced preparation is a must As an experienced developer who has interviewed dozens of EA candidates, I’m sharing my best tips for mastering the EA coding interview
Let’s gain some 1-UPs to land your dream video game coding job!
Understanding EA Software Engineering Interview Structure
While specific formats vary slightly by team and role, some consistent EA interview patterns emerge:
- 1-3 Technical Screening Calls: 30-45 minute phone calls assessing core CS knowledge
- On-Site Interview: Full 5-6 hour on-site round with 4-8 interviews including coding challenges, technical trivia, behavioral, and culture-fit questions. Often includes lunch or dinner with prospective team members.
- Follow-Ups: Further calls if necessary to evaluate specialized skills like machine learning.
The on-site round is make-or-break, so nail the screening rounds to make it to final boss level.
Top EA Software Engineering Interview Questions
Let’s break down the most common EA interview question types and how to code your way to success.
Technical Knowledge and Trivia
EA evaluates both your programming chops and broader computer science knowledge. Expect quizzes on data structures, algorithms, design patterns, and operating systems concepts.
Sample Questions:
- Explain how a hash table works.
- What is a binary search tree and where is it applicable?
- What are the main differences between processes and threads?
Prep Tips:
- Review computer architecture, networks, databases, and other CS fundamentals
- Understand Big-O notation and analyze time/space complexity tradeoffs for key data structures like arrays, linked lists, trees, and graphs
- Brush up on sorting, searching, and recursion algorithms
Coding Challenges
You will absolutely be tasked with writing algorithms or broader code snippets from scratch during the on-site. Expect challenges ranging from simple syntax tests to complex logic puzzles.
Sample Questions:
- Reverse a string in place without using built-in methods.
- Find duplicate elements in an unsorted integer array.
- Implement a simple autocomplete search algorithm.
Prep Tips:
- Practice on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, etc to build speed and proficiency.
- Clarify requirements, edge cases, and time/space constraints before diving in.
- Consider multiple approaches and verbalize your thought process clearly.
- Test thoroughly and walk through examples to validate logic.
Object-Oriented Design
As experts in game engineering, EA will expect you to showcase strong object-oriented analysis and design skills.
Sample Questions:
- Design chess game objects like Piece, Board, Move, etc.
- Diagram a simple parking lot management system.
- Implement an AI player for tic-tac-toe.
Prep Tips:
- Study SOLID, GRASP, and other design principles.
- Practice designing real-world objects, aggregations, and scenarios.
- Emphasize maintainable, scalable solutions.
- Clearly explain your abstractions and relationships.
Database Knowledge
Game analytics and player data leverage heavy backend databases. Brush up on relational models and SQL queries.
Sample Questions:
- Write a query to find users who have not logged in in over 30 days.
- Design a database schema for a new sports game.
- Explain database normalization and when to use it.
Prep Tips:
- Study SQL syntax, common statements, and table relationships
- Understand NoSQL databases like MongoDB
- Consider scalability and security factors in database design.
System Design
Senior engineering roles will expect you to analyze and improve complex systems. Study distributed computing frameworks like Hadoop, Kafka, Spark, etc.
Sample Questions:
- Design a scalable matchmaking system for an online multiplayer game.
- Improve load balancing for our game download servers.
- Build an analytics pipeline for player telemetry data.
Prep Tips:
- Analyze existing large-scale systems like Amazon, Netflix, etc.
- Focus on high-availability, high-scalability solutions.
- Clearly define interfaces, infrastructure, latency considerations, and dependencies.
Behavioral and Culture Fit
EA’s innovative culture demands creative problem-solvers who can collaborate effectively. Reflect on your past projects, leadership roles, and times you overcame obstacles or learned from failures.
Sample Questions:
- Tell us about a technically complex project you led or contributed heavily to.
- When have you pushed back on bad ideas or suggested process improvements?
- Describe a time you corrected a mistake before it caused issues. How did you handle this?
Prep Tips:
- Use the STAR method – situation, task, action, result – to structure your responses.
- Emphasize the positive outcomes of challenging scenarios.
- Have short anecdotes ready that highlight your strengths.
- Convey your passion for gaming and computer science.
Mastering the EA Coding Interview
With preparation and practice, you can conquer the EA interview boss fight. Here are my top tips for success:
- Practice relentlessly on platforms like LeetCode, reviewing core CS concepts as you go.
- Perfect your personal pitch and have compelling stories ready that highlight achievements.
- Communicate clearly – explain your approaches thoroughly and welcome feedback.
- Stay cool under pressure – the process is grueling by design, but you’ve got this!
- Ask thoughtful questions to show your engagement with EA’s mission and tech.
Landing your dream job at one of the world’s top video game companies requires dedication. With diligent studying, passion, and the above tips, you’ll gain the power-up you need to defeat the EA interview!
Electronic Arts Software Engineer Salary$126,705
Average Total CompensationMin: $81KMax: $164K
Electronic Arts Software Engineer Interview Process
Electronic Arts interviews are usually different depending on the role and team, but for Software Engineer interviews, these questions are usually asked in a pretty standard way.
Weve gathered this data from parsing thousands of interview experiences sourced from members.
EA Games Interview Process
FAQ
What questions are asked at EA company interview?
How long does it take to hear back from electronic arts?
What is the interview process like at Electronic Arts?
The interview process consisted of two interviews, one one-hour and a thirty-minute interview. Both were technical and personal, however, the questions were not too tough, just general data structures and algorithms. Q: How would I be a good fit for this role? Is it hard to get hired at Electronic Arts?
What questions are asked in a software engineering interview?
Although you will still be asked technical questions and questions about your coding ability, you may also be asked questions about your skills in problem-solving, your approach to working and your soft skills. This article will focus on software engineering interview questions which fall into the second category.
What questions are asked in an electronics engineering interview?
Some of the electronics engineering interview questions may be more casual like “why you choose this field?” etc. but we are covering more technical question.
