Started strong but in desperate need of change - Senior Software Engineer Niantic Employee Review

2.0
9 May 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The SF, Bellevue and Tokyo offices are quite nice if in-person collaboration is ideal for you. The individual office cultures tend to be fairly good. They (mostly) put their money where their mouth is as far as D&I is concerned. Despite their best efforts, Pokémon Go is still a fun game with a great community. The majority of the people who work at the company are passionate and want to do the right thing, and a lot of them are great fun to work with.

Cons

Very easy to fall between the cracks and just sort of shuffle around and exist if you're not an outspoken and passionate person, which can be a double-edged sword. (Obviously not a con for everyone, but it should be mentioned) This also leads to what feels like a lot of filler and middle-management positions, with a few talented engineers, designers, artists, etc. carrying the load for many. Forced RTO policies post-pandemic, pointing at it as one of the reasons why products were underperforming, while not acknowledging the actual reasons they were (poor design decisions, executive whims overwriting feedback from players/internal feedback). Reliance on a bloated technology stack that has accrued a completely untenable amount of tech debt. Everyone who made it no longer works at the company, and it's such a broad platform that there likely isn't a single person who understands how it all works start to finish. High degree of internal executive politics you are either forced to be at the whims of, or you are going to get in some drag out fights to enact the changes you believe to be positive. This leads to a pervasive attitude of frustration among a lot of the staff. Communication outside of official company channels between coworkers is reflects this negativity and frustration. A lot of coworkers got mysterious pay bumps as soon as the California law passed requiring them to display salary ranges. Upon investigation, a lot of these pay bumps were to the bottom of the newly listed pay bracket, furthering mistrust that many junior staff were being underpaid. Video game development is a passion industry, but that doesn't mean that workers should be unfairly compensated for their labor. Hopefully the forced visibility change will lead to a more positive outcome on this front.

Explore other reviews about Niantic

5.0
20 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The people, the amazing office, the work life balance, the benefits, 401k match

Cons

Niantic had few flaws and none that come to mind currently

3.0
12 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Niantic has a unique mission and works on products that blend technology, gaming, community, and real-world exploration. The people are generally smart, passionate, and collaborative, and there are opportunities to work on creative projects with global impact. The company also offers a good learning environment for those interested in gaming, AR, live operations, and location-based products.

Cons

Priorities can shift frequently, which sometimes makes it difficult for teams to stay focused or understand how their work connects to the broader company strategy. Communication from leadership could be clearer, especially during periods of change. Some processes feel reactive rather than proactive, and cross-functional alignment can vary depending on the team.

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