What I have observed (not first hand, but via word of mouth and written word) is that for the Bungie team, they break down their "big three" into the following areas. Ability and likelihood to mesh with the team (ie: passing the gauntlet of the interview process) Portfolio Education And believe it or not, I think that many folks at Bungie would put them in that order of priority. Ever since the "old days" (pre-MS) one very clear and serious rule came up regarding hiring people. It had two ways of being expressed. A) Work with cool people. B) Don't work with dicks. I believe that double-edged sword is STILL very important to Bungie. They've hired (and regretted) some people with incredible resumes, impeccable education, stunning portfolios, but the person themselves didn't "mesh" with the very interactive and collaborative Bungie culture, and as a result, their incredible qualifications didn't help the individual OR Bungie one bit. So, have passion for what you do. Never stop learning, never stop trying, never stop dreaming or exploring. If you are good at what you do, can handle some heat, some friction, and some rough-and-tumble interaction with some of the most talented and creative people imaginable? If that sounds like "fun"? Then when you've got your schooling done, and a portfolio/demo work that you think shows what you can do, apply.