Take-Two Interactive Internship 2027–2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply

Last updated: August 2026

Take-Two Interactive runs one of the few paid internships in AAA gaming: a three-month Summer Internship inside the roughly 13,000-person company behind Rockstar Games, 2K, and Zynga. NYC data-science and IT interns were paid $30 an hour in the last cycle, and the 2K Engineering Graduate Program has already published its next date, stating that applications re-open in September 2026 for the Summer 2027 intake. Here is everything you need to line yourself up before the roles go live.

Quick Facts

Take-Two's Summer Internship Program is a real, paid, three-month program based in New York City (hybrid, 4 days in office) that paid $30/hour in the last cycle, and it feeds a talent pool for permanent roles. The dated signal to act on: the 2K Engineering Graduate Program re-opens applications in September 2026 for the Summer 2027 intake, and it is reviewed on a rolling basis, so apply the week it opens.

Externships are short, remote projects where you finish real work for a real company. The Wayfair AI Agent Engineering Externship builds the systems-and-tooling evidence a game-engineering interviewer looks for, and the Beats by Dre Data Analytics Externship gives you the Python, SQL, and data-to-insight story a Take-Two Data Science intern role rewards. Explore all Externships.

What Is a Take-Two Interactive Internship?

A Take-Two Interactive internship is early-career access to one of the largest names in interactive entertainment. Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ: TTWO), founded in 1993 and headquartered in New York City, is a roughly 13,000-person company whose principal labels are Rockstar Games (Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption), 2K (NBA 2K, WWE 2K, Borderlands, Civilization, BioShock, Mafia), Zynga, and Ghost Story Games. "An internship at Take-Two" is really an umbrella over several distinct programs: the corporate Take-Two Summer Internship Program in New York (tracks such as Data Science, IT Support, and Legal), the 2K Engineering Graduate Program (a 21-month C++ and game-engine track), the 2K Publishing Graduate Program, and a historical Rockstar Games University Internship Program. The Take-Two Summer Internship is a paid, three-month program, and the company frames it as a gateway to permanent roles, so a strong internship is a genuine on-ramp into the studios behind some of the most anticipated releases in the industry.

When Do Take-Two Interactive Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

Take-Two's early-career calendar has one firm anchor and several expected windows. The firm anchor: the 2K Engineering Graduate Program states that applications re-open in September 2026 for the Summer 2027 intake, and because 2K processes applications as they are received, the effective deadline is "as soon as it opens." The Take-Two corporate Summer Internship reqs are seasonal; the Summer 2026 postings went live in late 2025 and were removed in early January 2026 (the Data Science Intern req came down January 7 and IT Support January 20), so applications for Summer 2027 are expected to open around fall 2026 and close in early 2027. Right now, in summer 2026, the Greenhouse board is off-season with no live intern reqs, which makes this the build window.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

The 2K Engineering Graduate Program is explicit that "applications will be processed as they are received," which is the clearest rolling signal Take-Two publishes. Rolling review means the strongest early applications get scoping calls and task-stage invites before later applicants are even read, so the calendar advantage is real: applying in week one of the September 2026 opening is worth more than a slightly stronger application submitted a month later. The Take-Two corporate Summer Internship is functionally similar even though it is not labeled rolling; those reqs open in a defined fall-to-winter window and are pulled the moment they are filled, and last cycle they came down in early January. In both cases the winning move is the same: have the portfolio, resume, and C++ fundamentals ready before September 2026 so you can submit within days of a posting going live, rather than scrambling to build proof after you see it.

Which Take-Two Interactive Internship Programs Should You Target?

"A Take-Two internship" spans several programs across the corporate publisher and its labels. The tracks below are drawn from the Summer 2026 intern postings, the official 2K graduate programs, and Rockstar's early-career history. The engineering track is the primary game-development path; the corporate tracks are the most accessible entry points for non-engineers.

See current openings at careers.take2games.com/jobs and the official 2K Engineering Graduate Program page. The engineering track is C++-first and code-heavy; the Take-Two corporate tracks (Data Science, IT Support, Legal) are the more accessible entry points if you are not a game-engine programmer.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

Take-Two publishes different bars for its corporate internship and its 2K graduate program. The following is taken from the Summer 2026 intern JDs and the official 2K page:

• Take-Two Summer Internship (enrollment): "Currently enrolled in higher education" is the only hard education gate stated. No class-year restriction and no GPA cutoff are published in any intern JD.

• Take-Two Data Science Intern (role-specific): intermediate Python and SQL, plus foundations in calculus, statistics, and linear algebra, and exposure to ML, regression, and classification.

• 2K Engineering Graduate Program (degree): a degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a similar field.

• 2K Engineering Graduate Program (technical): proficiency in C++, C#, and Python; strong algorithms, data structures, and design patterns; and source control, with Perforce preferred.

• Work authorization: the 2K graduate program notes that studio rotations are "subject to visa constraints," which can limit placement across the Novato, Dublin, and Vancouver sites. Take-Two intern visa sponsorship is not published (NOT FOUND).

How Selective Is It, and What Are the Real Gates?

Two gates matter most. First, C++ is effectively mandatory for the engineering track: the 2K task stage is a C++ coding assessment, and community reports are blunt that "knowing C++ is a must." If game engineering is your target, treat C++ fluency as the prerequisite rather than a nice-to-have. Second, these are in-person programs: Take-Two interns are in the NYC office four days a week, and 2K graduates are based in Novato, Dublin, or Vancouver, so plan for relocation, not remote work. One more practical note: Take-Two's reqs are seasonal, so an empty board in summer does not mean the program is gone; the intern reqs open in the fall. And a safety flag from the official careers page: Take-Two only contacts candidates from @take2games.com addresses and never interviews or makes offers over Telegram or WhatsApp.

What Skills Does Take-Two Interactive Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

Take-Two's intern and graduate job descriptions point in two directions. For the engineering and game-development track, the through-line is C++: it is the language of the 2K task stage, it dominates AAA game-engineering intern postings generally, and it is backed by C#, Python, and a strong foundation in data structures, algorithms, and design patterns. For the Take-Two corporate tracks, the Data Science intern role leans on Python, SQL, statistics, and ML, while source control (Perforce for the studios, Git or Gitflow elsewhere) and disciplined debugging show up across roles. The chart below counts how often each skill appears across the intern and graduate JDs read for this guide plus the AAA game-engineering market snapshot.

How Is Demand for Game Development Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

And the skills that gate these roles map to remote Externships where you finish a real project before the reqs open.

How close is the overlap? The Wayfair project is agent-engineering and systems work that yields the build-and-ship evidence a C++ task stage probes for, the Beats project builds the Python-to-insight story a Take-Two Data Science round wants, and the BeReal project gives you the product-thinking narrative that a game or publishing interviewer looks for.

What Is the Take-Two Interactive Application and Interview Process Like?

Take-Two runs different processes for its corporate internship and its 2K graduate program. The 2K Engineering Graduate Program publishes a clear four-stage flow; the Take-Two corporate tracks are lighter and Greenhouse-based. Here is the combined path:

1. Watch the boards and apply. Set alerts on careers.take2games.com/jobs for the Take-Two Summer Internship (reqs open ~fall 2026) and apply to the 2K Engineering Graduate Program from September 2026 for the Summer 2027 intake. Include GitHub or itch.io links.

2. Application and CV review. Both programs start with a resume and portfolio screen. For 2K, academic history and project links matter; for Take-Two corporate tracks, apply via Greenhouse with your resume for the NYC hybrid roles.

3. Group scoping call (2K, mandatory). 2K runs a mandatory group scoping call that explains the process and the role in detail before you advance.

4. Task stage (2K, C++). 2K's task stage is a C++ coding assessment; community reports describe a HackerRank test where the primary language is C++ with Leetcode-style algorithm problems. Some Take-Two corporate roles instead use a one-way recorded video screening (community-observed).

5. Interview stage. A technical-plus-fit interview closes the 2K process. Studio roles at 2K and Rockstar commonly add a coding test (C++ HackerRank, or C# for some Rockstar roles) before technical interviews.

Two practical notes. First, only respond to recruiters emailing from @take2games.com; Take-Two warns that it never interviews or makes offers over Telegram or WhatsApp. Second, community reports describe extensive tests and occasionally slow or no post-interview responses for 2K and Rockstar studio roles, so line up more than one track and keep applying while you wait.

What Students on Reddit Say

Three community threads give a first-hand look at the process, all paraphrased.

How Do You Stand Out for a Take-Two, 2K, or Rockstar Internship?

Three moves, all executable before the reqs open. First, make C++ your visible strength: the 2K task stage is a C++ assessment and community reports call it a hard gate, so a public project that shows real C++ (a small game, an engine tool, a systems demo) does more than a line on a resume. Second, ship something end-to-end and put it where they ask for it; the 2K application requests GitHub or itch.io links, so a finished, playable or usable artifact with a clear write-up beats a pile of unfinished repos. Third, match the track to your strength: if you are not a game-engine programmer, the Take-Two corporate Data Science, IT Support, and Legal tracks in NYC are the more accessible entry points, and a Data Science applicant who can show Python, SQL, and a real analysis stands out immediately. Then set alerts on both boards and apply in the first days of the window, because the 2K program is rolling and Take-Two's reqs get pulled the moment they fill.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

Take-Two sits in AAA interactive entertainment. If you are building a games-industry internship list, these are the obvious neighbors to apply to in parallel:

Want the projects that make any of these applications stronger? Browse all Externships and finish a real one before the reqs open.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 Take-Two Interactive internship?

No. The Summer 2026 cycle has closed: Take-Two's corporate intern postings (Data Science, IT Support, Legal) were removed from the boards in early January 2026, and the Summer 2026 program is now underway. Your target is Summer 2027. The 2K Engineering Graduate Program re-opens applications in September 2026 for the Summer 2027 intake, and the Take-Two corporate reqs are expected to open around fall 2026, so use the rest of 2026 to prepare and set job alerts.

Does Take-Two Interactive offer internships?

Yes. Take-Two runs a paid, three-month Summer Internship Program in New York (hybrid, 4 days in office), plus label programs: the 2K Engineering Graduate Program (21 months), the 2K Publishing Graduate Program, and historically a Rockstar Games University Internship Program. The corporate intern reqs are seasonal and open in the fall.

When do applications open for Summer 2027?

The 2K Engineering Graduate Program re-opens applications in September 2026 for the Summer 2027 intake (official), and it is reviewed on a rolling basis, so apply early. Take-Two's corporate intern postings are expected to open around fall 2026 and close in early 2027, based on the Summer 2026 reqs being removed in early January 2026.

How much do Take-Two interns get paid?

Take-Two's official NYC intern JDs (Data Science and IT Support) list $30/hour. The 2K Engineering Graduate Program advertises a "highly competitive salary" plus benefits without publishing a figure. Community data (Glassdoor, 8 salaries) shows a median around $47/hr and a range of $35–$66/hr, but treat those community numbers as directional, not official.

What skills do I need for the engineering / game-dev track?

C++ is effectively required: the 2K task stage and screen are in C++, and community reports state that knowing C++ is a must. Add C#, Python, strong data structures and algorithms, source control (Perforce preferred), and disciplined debugging. Game-engine experience (Unreal) helps. Data Science interns instead need Python, SQL, statistics, and ML.

What is the interview process?

The 2K Engineering Graduate Program runs four stages: application and CV review, a mandatory group scoping call, a C++ task stage, and an interview stage. 2K and Rockstar studio roles commonly add a coding test (a HackerRank test in C++, or C# for some Rockstar roles). Some Take-Two corporate roles use a one-way recorded video screening (community-observed).

Where are the programs located?

Take-Two interns are in New York City (hybrid, 4 days in office). The 2K Engineering Graduate Program runs from Novato (California), Dublin (Ireland), and Vancouver (Canada), with rotations subject to visa constraints. Rockstar US studios include New York, New England, and San Diego. None of these are remote programs.

Do interns convert to full-time roles?

Take-Two frames the Summer Internship as "a gateway to building a talent pool of rising stars for permanent roles," and 2K says graduates are "primed for a full-time role" after the 21-month program. No official intern-to-full-time conversion percentage is published for Take-Two, Rockstar, or 2K.

Take-Two's internships are real, paid, and competitive, and the calendar is already set: the 2K Engineering Graduate Program re-opens in September 2026 for Summer 2027, and it reviews applications as they arrive. Spend the runway building proof: a remote Externship turns interest in game development into a finished project you can point at the moment the reqs go live.