Games producer to create 300 jobs at centre

Games producer Electronic Arts is to create 300 multilingual jobs at its customer service centre in the IDA Business Park in Galway City, adding to the 400 people already employed at EA’s Bioware division in Parkmore West.

Chief operations officer Peter Moore said: “The EA European Customer Experience Centre is the focal point of our strategy to serve gamers on a global basis. In today’s fast-moving digital environment, we need to engage with our worldwide customer base on a 24/7 basis, across all of EA’s games and services and in multiple languages.

“Galway’s mix of technology infrastructure and talent availability, combined with a pro-business environment, will help us expand on our existing foundation here. We’re proud to be part of Ireland’s growth into cutting edge digital industries.”

Galway West Labour TD Derek Nolan welcomed the jobs announcement, describing EA’s decision to locate the Customer Experience Centre of Excellence in Galway as an endorsement of the city as a hub for digital multinationals.

“The people who work in this new EA centre will provide multilingual international support for EA’s online game titles, such as Fifa and Medal of Honour,” said Mr Nolan.

“This centre has developed as a result of Galway’s technology infrastructure, skilled and talented workforce, and pro-business environment.”

The IDA anticipates that this centre will help sustain up to 210 jobs in retail, hospitality, and other services. EA’s decision is also an endorsement of the language skills available in the west of the country, it said.

IDA chief executive Barry O’Leary said: “The EA facility in Galway will take on responsibility for delivering high quality multilingual customer experience for a broad range of EA titles.

“EA is a key player amongst the cluster of global games and entertainment companies with operations in Ireland, and today’s announcement clearly places Ireland at the centre of EA’s international customer support strategy.”

The launch was attended by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Richard Bruton, the jobs minister.

Mr Bruton said these jobs were part of his drive to create 2,500 digital sector jobs by 2014.

Mr Kenny said: “It is less than a year since I attended the opening of the EA facility in Galway, and I am delighted to announce today that EA has made the decision to invest further in Ireland by locating their strategically important Customer Experience Centre here.

“This decision is a real endorsement of Ireland’s ability to meet the needs of leading multinational companies in the digital media space.”