is it pretty much standard for video game companies to make you pay all your own expenses (hotel/airfare) when traveling to an interview in another state?

is it pretty much standard for video game companies to make you pay all your own expenses (hotel/airfare) when traveling to an interview in another state?

Game companies hire local. If you want to get a job in a distant area, especially for beginners, you need to be local.

If you want to get your first job in the industry you will need to move somewhere near games, or you will need to cultivate a specialized skill in another area and then transfer into games.

Game companies will hire from a distance ONLY if the person fills a specific need, AND if the applicant looks good on paper, and looks good in a phone and generally an email interview as well. Then (as Tom said) they will tell you if they are willing to pay for interview travel (in which case they may also help pay some relocation costs because they want the skill) or they will tell you that they are unwilling to pay for interview travel (meaning they are willing to hire you but do not need you enough to pay relocation expenses.)

There are many good local applicants for most positions. Studios generally will not go through that cost.

FWIW I have a personal policy against interviewing places where they expect the candidate to pay significant travel costs, and it's served me pretty well. To me, it says something significant about the company culture. YMMV.