Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts is an excellent place to learn how a major software company manages large projects, and it gives an opportunity to work on some cutting-edge technology and systems.

It is definitely a good experience in terms of learning how things are done in the industry and making connections.

There is also an excellent facility for sharing research and information between engineers at various studios.

It's a good place to get up to speed and build up one's chops, but it varies widely depending on the team and the project.

It's very easy to become lost under the massive corporate overhead. The dense management hierarchy and vast employee base can lead one to feel unnoticed and underappreciated. There is little opportunity for a talented engineer to move through the ranks quickly.

While this is a good place to learn how things are done in the industry, it's quite arguable that nothing is done the way it should be. There is a lot of institutional inertia preventing that from changing.

EA is a business first and foremost. While that has helped them become quite a financially successful company, it makes the entire organization rather risk-averse. So, it is one of the least adventurous companies in the industry when it comes to innovation and experimentation with new technology and game designs.

Smaller budgets, smaller projects, smaller teams!