IVM Podcasts Game Developer Interview: Rounds, Questions and Preparation

What the job involves

A Game Developer in the gaming and creator economy builds interactive experiences such as mobile games, hyper-casual titles, or gamified content for podcasts and digital creators. Day to day you prototype mechanics, write gameplay code, integrate assets, optimise performance for low-end devices, and iterate quickly based on player feedback. At smaller studios or creator-led companies you may also touch live ops, monetisation hooks, and cross-promotion with audio or video content.

Role and Technical Knowledge

1. 1

   What is a game loop and how does it differ from a standard application loop?

   Explain fixed timestep vs variable timestep, update and render separation, and why frame rate independence matters for gameplay.

2. 2

   How would you implement a simple object pool for bullets or enemies in Unity?

   Cover avoiding instantiate and destroy calls, reusing inactive objects, and resetting state on reuse to reduce garbage collection spikes.

3. 3

   Explain the difference between collision detection and collision resolution in a 2D game.

   Mention broad phase vs narrow phase, and how you apply forces or position corrections after a collision is detected.

4. 4

   How do you profile a mobile game that stutters on a budget Android phone?

   Talk about Unity Profiler or Unreal Insights, checking draw calls, overdraw, texture sizes, and scripting CPU time before optimising.

Practical Scenarios and Design

1. 5

   You need to add a rewarded video ad to a hyper-casual game without hurting retention. How do you design it?

   Suggest optional rewards like extra lives or coins, placement after natural breaks, frequency caps, and testing with a small cohort first.

2. 6

   A creator wants a mini-game tied to their podcast episode. How would you scope it for a two-week build?

   Focus on one core mechanic, reuse existing art or audio assets, keep it portrait mode for mobile, and plan a simple shareable score screen.

3. 7

   Your game runs at 60 fps on your laptop but drops to 20 fps on a mid-range phone. What do you check first?

   Prioritise texture compression, reducing real-time lights and shadows, batching sprites, and capping the frame rate to 30 fps if needed.

4. 8

   How would you implement a simple save system for player progress in a mobile game?

   Mention PlayerPrefs for small data, JSON serialisation for larger saves, and cloud saving options like Firebase or Play Games Services.

Behavioural and Teamwork

1. 9

   Tell me about a game or prototype you built from scratch. What was the hardest part?

   Show ownership, describe a specific technical or design blocker, and explain how you debugged or simplified the solution.

2. 10

   How do you handle feedback from a designer or creator who wants a feature that is technically expensive?

   Demonstrate empathy, ask about the player goal, propose a cheaper alternative, and align on a scope that fits the timeline.

3. 11

   Describe a time you had to learn a new tool or engine quickly for a project.

   Pick a concrete example, mention your learning method, and show how you delivered something playable within a short deadline.

4. 12

   Why do you want to work in the creator economy rather than a traditional AAA studio?

   Connect to faster iteration, direct audience feedback, cross-media storytelling, and the chance to wear multiple hats in a small team.

HR and Fresher-Specific Questions

1. 13

   What games or interactive experiences have you shipped, even as a student project?

   Have a portfolio link ready, describe your exact contribution, and mention the platform, engine, and any user feedback you received.

2. 14

   How do you keep up with new game development tools and trends?

   Name specific sources like Game Developer, Unity Learn, Unreal Engine forums, or game jams, and mention a recent technique you tried.

3. 15

   Are you comfortable working in a small team where you may also test, document, or support live ops?

   Show flexibility, give an example of doing non-glamorous work, and emphasise that you care about the player experience end to end.

4. 16

   What are your salary expectations for a fresher game developer role in India?

   Research typical fresher ranges in your city, give a broad range, and express that learning and growth matter more than a fixed number.