1. What is a Business Analyst at Activision?

At Activision, a Business Analyst—often aligned with Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Live Operations, or Commercial Strategy—plays a pivotal role in the heartbeat of our franchises. You are not just crunching numbers; you are driving the business logic behind some of the world's most successful entertainment products, including Call of Duty and Warzone. This role sits at the intersection of finance, product management, and game strategy, ensuring that our creative ambitions are supported by robust commercial frameworks.

You will be responsible for projecting and managing the performance of titles, analyzing player behavior, and optimizing monetization systems such as the Battle Pass and in-game Item Shops. Whether you are focused on Live Ops revenue, retail SKU planning, or compensation analytics, your insights will directly influence decision-making at the studio and executive levels. You will help answer critical questions: How is the current season performing? What trends are emerging in player engagement? How do we optimize our go-to-market strategy for the next major release?

This position offers a unique opportunity to work within a dynamic, high-scale environment where data directly impacts the player experience. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional partners in finance, marketing, and game development to build forecasts, assess risks, and drive profitability. If you are passionate about the business of gaming and have the analytical rigor to navigate complex data sets, this role is your gateway to shaping the future of interactive entertainment.

2. Common Interview Questions

3. Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparation for an analyst role at Activision requires a shift in mindset. You need to demonstrate not only technical proficiency but also a deep understanding of the gaming industry's business models. You must show that you can translate complex financial data into actionable strategic narratives.

Your interviewers will evaluate you based on the following key criteria:

Financial & Commercial Acumen – You must demonstrate a strong grasp of financial concepts, P&L management, and revenue forecasting. Interviewers will test your ability to build robust models and understand the drivers of revenue in a digital, live-service environment (e.g., microtransactions, full-game sales).

Analytical Problem Solving – We look for candidates who can approach ambiguous problems with structure. You will be evaluated on how you dissect a business challenge—such as declining player retention or pricing a new bundle—and use data to recommend a solution.

Industry & Product Knowledge – A genuine interest in video games and the entertainment sector is critical. You will be assessed on your familiarity with Activision’s portfolio and your understanding of industry trends, such as the shift to "Games as a Service" (GaaS) and free-to-play mechanics.

Collaboration & Communication – You will often act as a bridge between finance and creative teams. Evaluation here focuses on your ability to communicate complex financial concepts to non-financial stakeholders and your history of building strong cross-functional relationships.

4. Interview Process Overview

The interview process for Business and Financial Analyst roles at Activision is rigorous and designed to test both your hard skills and your strategic thinking. It typically begins with a recruiter screen to assess your background and interest in the role. If successful, you will move to a hiring manager interview, which focuses on your relevant experience, technical capabilities (particularly in Excel and modeling), and your motivation for joining the team.

Following the initial rounds, candidates are often asked to complete a case study or take-home assessment. This is a critical stage where you will be given a dataset or a business scenario related to game performance or revenue forecasting. You will be expected to analyze the data, build a model, and present your findings. This step tests your practical skills and your ability to deliver executive-level insights.

The final stage is a series of onsite (or virtual onsite) interviews with a panel of cross-functional partners. You will meet with members of the Finance, Strategy, and potentially Product or Production teams. These interviews will cover behavioral questions, deep dives into your case study, and scenario-based inquiries to gauge your cultural fit and ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

This timeline illustrates the typical progression from application to offer. Note the emphasis on the Case Study phase; this is often the "make or break" moment for analyst candidates. Use this visual to plan your preparation, ensuring you have refreshed your financial modeling skills before the technical rounds begin.

5. Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

To succeed, you must demonstrate competence in specific technical and strategic areas. Based on the role's focus on Call of Duty Live Ops and commercial strategy, expect the following themes to dominate your technical discussions.

Financial Modeling & Forecasting

This is the core technical skill required. You must be comfortable building dynamic models in Excel to project revenue and engagement.

Be ready to go over:

• Revenue Projection: Methodologies for forecasting in-game bookings, full-game unit sales, and digital revenue.
• Variance Analysis: Explaining the "why" behind differences in forecasted vs. actual performance (e.g., seasonality, content quality, competitor launches).
• P&L Management: Understanding the structure of a P&L statement and how specific game metrics impact the bottom line.
• Advanced concepts: Cohort analysis, LTV (Lifetime Value) modeling, and churn prediction.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk me through how you would build a revenue forecast for a new Battle Pass season."
• "We noticed a 10% drop in revenue week-over-week. How would you investigate the root cause?"
• "How do you model the impact of a holiday sale on total quarterly revenue?"

Game Economy & KPIs

You need to understand the metrics that drive a gaming business. It is not enough to know the definitions; you must know how they interact.

Be ready to go over:

• Engagement Metrics: DAU (Daily Active Users), MAU (Monthly Active Users), and retention rates.
• Monetization Metrics: ARPU (Average Revenue Per User), ARPPU (Average Revenue Per Paying User), conversion rate, and attach rates.
• Live Ops Strategy: How in-game events, store refreshes, and content drops influence these KPIs.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "If DAU is flat but revenue is up, what could be driving this trend?"
• "Which metric is more important for a free-to-play title: Retention or Conversion? Why?"
• "How would you evaluate the success of a new weapon skin bundle in the Item Shop?"

Strategic Decision Making

Interviewers will test your ability to make recommendations based on imperfect data. This tests your business judgment.

Be ready to go over:

• Pricing Strategy: Determining price points for SKUs or digital items.
• Market Analysis: Understanding the competitive landscape (e.g., Fortnite, Apex Legends) and how it impacts Activision’s strategy.
• Opportunity Assessment: Evaluating whether to invest resources in a new initiative or platform.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Should we lower the price of the base game to drive player acquisition, or keep it high to maximize margin?"
• "We have a limited budget for a marketing campaign. Do you target lapsed players or new users? Justify your answer."