Announced already on the boards and also in today’s Digital Ireland supplement of the Irish independent here is the full press release on the news that Blizzard Entertainment is setting up a customer support centre in Cork.
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Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin TD today (19th September 2007) announced that Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., with the support of IDA Ireland, will establish a European customer support centre in Cork City. An initial 50 positions will be created by this investment, rising to over 100 within three years.
Blizzard Entertainment®, headquartered in Irvine, California, is a world-renowned developer and publisher of entertainment software, including digital titles such as World of Warcraft®, Diablo® and StarCraft®. The company’s industry leading subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game[1]World of Warcraft allows thousands of people to play and interact simultaneously in a shared online environment. More than 9 million players worldwide subscribe to World of Warcraft.
Blizzard is establishing the European customer support centre in Cork City in order to meet the demands of its expanding player base and substantially increase the level of support it can offer European players. The Cork facility will complement and strengthen Blizzard’s existing primary European offices, located near Paris, and also work closely with the company’s global teams to provide high-quality customer service and online infrastructure maintenance.
Commenting on the announcement, Minister Martin said: “Blizzard Entertainment is a global leader in the entertainment software industry, setting the standard for online gaming on the personal computer. This decision by Blizzard to establish a new European customer support centre in Cork is further evidence of how Ireland is viewed internationally as a leading location for cutting edge investment in the exciting world of digital content.”
“Interactive entertainment is one of the fastest-growing and most popular recreational sectors globally, and this demand is creating new opportunities for Ireland as a platform for this highly innovative industry,” added Minister Martin. “It is a strategic target for IDA Ireland and we are fast becoming a location of choice for many of the world’s most advanced Internet and digital content companies, as Blizzard has shown today.”
Mike Morhaime, President and Co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment, expressed confidence in the ability of the Cork office to strengthen the company’s support offerings throughout the continent. “We are fully committed to increasing the scale of our services as demand for ‘World of Warcraft’ and other Blizzard games continues to grow in Europe,” he said. “With this new office in Ireland, we’ll be able to continue providing our European players with a high level of support for many years to come.”
Ends/ETE1787
See http://www.entemp.ie/press/2007/20070919a.htm
Notes to Editor
About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft and the Warcraft®, StarCraft, and Diablo series, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard-europe.com), a division of Vivendi Games, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard’s track record includes ten #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active users.
For further information:
Blizzard Entertainment SAS –
Julia Gastaldi, Director of Communication and Community, Europe
Contact at jgastaldi@blizzard.com