Back to School! Inside Blizzard’s Internship Program – Part 1

The end of summer signals the start of a new season: it’s time to go back to school! With students heading back to labs and lecture halls, we’re taking a closer look at the ABK Early Careers program: an internship opportunity that offers firsthand experience in game development across a variety of technical and creative roles. In this two-part blog story, we’re sitting down with program recruiters as well as former interns who have since become full-time Blizzard employees to hear what it takes to become a Blizzard intern, what the program is like, and how to apply. First up are Crystal and Ed, who share what they’re looking for in next year’s internship class.

Thanks for speaking with us! Tell us a little bit about your roles.
Crystal: I’m an Early Careers recruiter and I oversee creative roles in the program. That includes arts and animation, and game design.  

Ed: And I focus on technical roles within the program, like engineering, product management, production, data science, and analytics. 

What is the ABK Early Careers program?
Ed: The program itself offers an in-depth, hands-on experience over the course of 12 weeks in the summer. All of our positions are paid and hosted in person at one of our office locations. Interns are also eligible for relocation assistance if needed. We provide on-the-job training, learning and development, fun events, networking opportunities—it’s a lot! Our mission is to identify and bring aboard high-potential candidates to make an amazing impact here at Blizzard. Interns become a part of our games and our culture. 

Crystal: Yes! And a big part of our work is to help steward the next generation of talent within the games industry and to offer education and guidance in starting down that career path.

Who is eligible to apply?
Ed: Current students enrolled in a college program can apply. We recruit for all majors at the undergraduate and graduate level: associate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s, and Ph.D. The interns we hire are usually a semester or two away from graduating. For summer 2026, we’ll be looking for students who’ll be graduating between December 2026 and summer 2027.

What experience or qualities are you looking for in prospective candidates?
Ed: First off, you do not have to be a gamer or play specific games to work here. As long as you’re interested in the gaming industry and want to make an impact, you should apply. On the technical side, we want to see relevant experience from projects you’ve worked on, like programming in C++ or anything that relates to the specific role you’re applying for. 

Crystal: For creative roles, we’re very much looking to see work and projects that match the Blizzard tone, gameplay, and art style. In terms of qualities, we always say what you put into the internship is what you get out of it. We love to see candidates who jump in feet first, who ask questions and raise their hands to take on new challenges. Curiosity is a big plus.

Ed: Our hiring managers always ask for proactive, motivated self-starters. They want interns who will ask questions, be curious, and seek out additional work on their own. Yes, our interns work on major games and get to make a big impact, but at its core, this experience is a learning opportunity so we want you to make the most of that.

Crystal: To your point, Ed, it’s also possible that our interns might leave with a game credit under their belt, so that’s pretty cool. 

Ed: It’s very cool! And ultimately, one of our long-term goals is to convert interns to full-time associates when possible. 

When does the application window open?
Ed: The application window is open now! Our summer internships are posted in the fall and we recruit on a rolling basis. 

Crystal: On the creative side, a lot of students are working on portfolios and finalizing projects, so we take that into account in terms of timing. Sometimes art roles will take a few months to fill as applications roll in.

What materials should candidates have ready in their applications?
Ed: Relevancy is key in portfolios, resumes, applications—everything. Any role we post is going to be very specific as to the requirements we’re looking for. If you’re studying game engineering at school, you might be working on a variety of different things, but the role we’re hiring for might only ask for specialization in one area. If that’s the case, make sure you show your skills in that area.

Crystal: It’s the same on the art side. We’re often looking for students who have some kind of specialization in one discipline, whether that’s environment art, lighting, or characters. And that applies to game design too, if a candidate has experience with systems, combat, or level design, for example. 

Where can prospective candidates apply and find more info?
Ed: Definitely check out our Blizzard Careers site! There you’ll find some FAQs and a portal specifically to the ABK Early Careers program application. We also hold info sessions from August through October.

Any parting words to those who are still on the fence?
Crystal: We know it might be intimidating to some students to put themselves out there like this. We also know that an Early Careers position might be a “dream role” for a lot of candidates. Don’t be afraid to apply and shoot your shot. We know what we’re looking for when we meet with you, and a lot of times, what shines through is someone’s potential. The only way to show us your passion is to apply. 

Ed: It’s also worth noting that yes, the program is highly competitive, but you don’t need to have professional game development experience in any way, shape, or form. You also don’t need to have prior internship experience. A lot of our interns are first timers. Just put your best foot forward, and make sure your application is well-crafted and polished. Authenticity matters so show us your best work and be yourself. 

Both: We can’t wait to meet you!

Applications for the ABK Early Careers program are now open! Visit Blizzard Careers to find the best role for you and apply.