Gaming Industry from the Inside: My Gameloft Experience

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Nguyen Khanh D. Upwork

The Challenges of Job Hunting#

I vividly remember the days when pressures kept mounting, having to face both work pressure and pressure from my boss. "Working at another company will lead me to better people, a better company" - to be honest, at that time I was very confident about my experience, so even without a new job lined up, I wasn't hesitant to submit my resignation.The layoff wave was still ongoing, with many IT professionals remaining unemployed. I believed in myself and didn't care much about market conditions. This led me to face the most difficult situation right after quitting my job. Weeks passed, months passed, the job applications I sent remained unanswered, with only occasional calls. I lost my composure and began a month of serious interview preparation.I interviewed with quite a few companies, both domestic and international. It was the first time I had submitted so many CVs and gone through so many interviews. Some companies were just posting jobs to advertise themselves without actually hiring. Some companies had up to 7 interview rounds. And the process for candidates could take up to 2 months to complete.

The Interview Process at Gameloft#

Gameloft had 5 interview rounds with a one-month processing time. I remember the job description was for a senior position while I only had nearly 2 years of experience. After the HR reviewed my CV and we had a phone call, she sent me a test and asked if I found anything strange. I didn't understand what was strange because I thought the test was within my capabilities. She explained they were only hiring seniors, but they saw potential in me so the team decided to continue processing my application.I found the home test wasn't particularly difficult, as during my month of interviewing, I had done several more challenging home tests. I chose a 3-day deadline and completed it on time. Finally came the technical interview round with the team, including a producer, a TA, a BE lead, and a DevOps lead. The questions in this round weren't about the test, but rather focused on the skills mentioned in the JD and my CV, such as Node, AWS, microservices, and GraphQL. At the end of the hour, we had live coding with two LeetCode problems - one easy and one medium.Round 4 (cultural fit) took place a week after round 3, which was just a conversation with the Head of GFB. Finally, I received an offer and yeah, time to start working! If I have time, I'll write more details - feel free to message me privately with questions.

First Day and Welcome Gifts#

My journey to the office is quite a challenge - a 45-minute ride in sunny weather, extending to 90 minutes during rainy season through heavy traffic. On my first day, I arrived early and was warmly welcomed with a generous onboarding package: a company mug, t-shirt, USB drive, pen, and notebook. Gameloft Saigon stands as one of the largest branches in Asia. That morning, I met the team who introduced me to the company and gave me an office tour. During lunch, the BE lead took our entire team for coffee, helping me get acquainted with everyone. In the afternoon, my buddy guided me through the team's tech stack - fortunately, they were using technologies I was familiar with from my previous job, making the transition quite smooth.

A Journey Through Three Different Work Environments#

After nearly two years in IT, I've had the opportunity to experience three distinctly different work environments: from an in-house startup to an outsourcing company, and finally to an international product company. Each place has left me with valuable lessons and memorable experiences.

Netpower was where I started my career. The in-house startup environment, characterized by its dynamism and flexibility, gave me the opportunity to dive deep into everything. Here, I worked directly with customers, gained a thorough understanding of the business domain, and had to adapt quickly to constantly changing requirements. This experience honed my rapid learning abilities and time management skills.

After the startup, I moved to AgileOps - an outsourcing company. This was a significant turning point as I was exposed to a professional international work environment. The work processes were much more structured, demanding meticulous attention to code and documentation. Working with international clients significantly improved my English and communication skills. However, the biggest challenge was synchronizing with client time zones, sometimes requiring meetings late at night or early in the morning.

Currently, I'm working at Gameloft - an international product company. This is the most professional environment I've experienced, from work organization to company culture.

Professional Work Culture#

Weekly meetings always have clear agendas. Daily standups are concise yet effective. What I love most are the tech talks where everyone shares their knowledge and experience.

Documentation Emphasis#

A major difference at Gameloft is the emphasis on documentation. Every new feature requires comprehensive documentation, and code must be clearly commented. While this takes more time initially, it proves incredibly valuable for the team in the long run.

True Work-life Balance#

Gameloft showed me that work-life balance isn't just a slogan. Flexible working hours, clear leave policies, and most importantly, genuine respect for personal time. The company even has a recreation room for employees to relax during work hours.

Professional Bug Handling#

Bug handling here is very systematic. All bugs are carefully tracked, with clear priorities and strict code review processes to minimize issues before merging.

Memorable Company Trips#

One of the best things about working at Gameloft is the team building trips. Each trip isn't just a chance to relax but an opportunity to bond with colleagues in a unique way.

The BE Team trip to Vinh Hy was unforgettable. I still remember the feeling of driving through winding mountain passes, with cliffs on one side and the endless blue sea on the other. Though the journey was long, the beautiful scenery made us forget all fatigue. Our destination was a small island isolated from the outside world. The trip showed me a different side of my colleagues - not just programmers focused on code, but interesting people with diverse stories and hobbies.

If the Vinh Hy trip brought us close to nature, the Staff Trip to Cam Ranh was a completely different experience. The itinerary was well-planned. We explored Nha Trang, visited the Institute of Oceanography, and enjoyed BBQ parties on the beach in the evenings. Unlike the team trip, this one included some drinking, but everyone maintained a fun, healthy atmosphere. The Staff Trip gave me the chance to meet and chat with colleagues from other teams. People I usually only saw briefly in the office became closer through team building games and friendly conversations.

These trips left me with unforgettable memories and confirmed that Gameloft isn't just a workplace, but an environment where people truly care about building lasting relationships. Such trips not only help us relax after intense work days but also create beautiful memories, genuine friendships, and a work environment where everyone wants to stay long-term.