Electronic Arts is a leading global video game publisher and developer, headquartered in Redwood City, California, known for major franchises across sports, action and simulation genres. The company produces and publishes popular titles such as FIFA/...
You will hear a mix of voices from people who have worked there. Some say they love the creativity and the chance to ship games that millions play. “You get to work with passionate teams and see your work in players’ hands,” one developer told me. Others note crunch periods around launches and wish for clearer roadmaps. “I loved the projects, but there were times I felt pulled in too many directions,” a former producer shared.
If you search for company culture at Electronic Arts or stories about working at Electronic Arts, you will find praise for collaboration and critique around workload spikes. Overall, many employees will describe a rewarding workplace where the product makes the job meaningful, even when it gets intense.
Company culture at Electronic Arts is built around creativity, player focus, and publishing scale. Teams tend to be product-driven: developers, artists, designers, and producers aim to iterate quickly and polish features. The environment favors initiative and ownership, but it is also shaped by corporate priorities and commercial goals.
There is a mix of studio-level autonomy and centralized strategy. Some studios have an indie-like feel, while others feel more corporate. Diversity initiatives and inclusion programs exist and have grown in importance, though experiences vary by team and location.
Work-life balance at Electronic Arts often depends on your role and the phase of a project. You will see solid balance during steady development cycles, with flexible hours and PTO policies that many appreciate. During pre-launch or feature crunches, employees commonly report longer hours and weekend work.
If you value predictable schedules, look for roles in live service teams or support functions, as they frequently offer more regular hours. People searching for work-life balance at Electronic Arts should plan around peaks and communicate boundaries early with managers.
Job security will largely be tied to studio performance, project success, and broader industry trends. Like many large publishers, the company has restructured at times, and such decisions may affect headcount. Permanent roles within stable franchises and essential business functions tend to offer stronger security. Contract and temporary roles will have less stability.
Leadership is a mix of seasoned executives and studio heads with deep industry experience. Strategy is typically clear at the executive level, and leaders will often emphasize player-first thinking and revenue targets. Communication quality varies by studio and manager, with some teams enjoying transparent roadmaps and others asking for more clarity.
Managers are frequently praised when they provide clear expectations, constructive feedback, and career guidance. Effective managers will advocate for their teams and balance deadlines with realistic goals. Less effective managers may struggle with cross-team coordination or prioritization under commercial pressure. Prospective hires will benefit from asking for examples of manager support during interviews.
Learning and development programs are available and can be robust, especially for technical skills and game-specific tools. There will be access to internal talks, mentorship, and occasional sponsored external training. Advancement often requires proactive engagement: employees who seek mentorship and take on stretch assignments will typically see faster growth.
Promotions are possible but often competitive. Advancement is tied to performance, impact on live products or launches, and visibility across teams. Staff who demonstrate leadership on cross-functional projects and consistently deliver results will have clearer paths to promotion.
Salary ranges vary widely by role and location. Reported ranges for common roles are roughly:
Exact figures will depend on location, team, and experience. Candidates should benchmark offers against local market data and ask for a total compensation breakdown.
Bonuses and incentives are commonly offered, often tied to company performance, studio performance, or individual goals. Employee bonus structures may include annual bonuses, performance-based awards, and, in some cases, stock or long-term incentives for eligible employees.
Health and insurance benefits are generally comprehensive. Typical offerings include medical, dental, and vision plans, plus mental health support and wellness programs. Benefits will vary by country and role, but full-time employees should expect a solid package that covers core health needs.
Employee engagement is supported through internal events, game nights, launch celebrations, and hackathons. Studios will often host social gatherings, speaker series, and team-building activities. These events help maintain morale and foster cross-team relationships.
Remote work support has expanded, with many roles offering hybrid or fully remote arrangements depending on team needs. Technology and collaboration tools are robust, and there will be guidelines to help remote employees stay connected. In-person studio presence is still valued for certain roles, especially art and QA that require specific hardware.
Average working hours will vary by role and project stage. Typical weeks range from a standard 40-hour baseline up to 50–60+ hours during crunch periods. Managers will often encourage taking time off after intense sprints to avoid burnout.
The company has experienced periodic restructuring and layoffs in response to market shifts and strategic changes. Attrition rates can be higher around studio changes or product pivots. Long-term, the company continues to invest in core franchises and live services, which helps stabilize employment for key teams.
Overall, the company is rated positively for its product impact, creative work, and benefits. You will find a workplace that rewards dedication and craftsmanship, even though there can be unevenness in workload and management experiences. For people passionate about games and scale, this is a compelling place to grow; for those seeking constant predictability, it may feel dynamic and occasionally demanding.
Read authentic experiences from current and former employees at Electronic Arts
Great community team, lots of autonomy, opportunities to build events and partnerships locally.
Pay could be more competitive for the region and sometimes approvals take too long.
Clear production processes, experienced leads, and a lot of creative freedom on smaller projects.
Sometimes unclear feedback from higher ups and occasional re-orgs that disrupt momentum.
Flexible remote setup, respectful teammates, good UX processes and user research support.
Salary bands for design roles feel tight and promotion cycles can be slow for individual contributors.
Supportive team, strong roadmap, great benefits and stock options. Plenty of opportunities to work on impactful titles.
Crunch can intensify close to releases and meetings sometimes stretch late into the day.
Interesting data challenges and opportunity to work with cross-functional teams.
Contract roles get limited support, tight deadlines and no clear path to full-time. Team turnover affected continuity.
