BioWare, the massively successful studio behind the likes of Mass Effect and Dragon Age has just officially announced the opening of a brand new customer service centre to be located in Galway, Ireland.
The new facility, BioWare’s first outside of North America, will provide 24/7 support for upcoming blockbuster RPG MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic, which is being produced in collaboration with LucasArts. BioWare Ireland is recruiting another 200 jobs in preparation for one of the biggest game launches of the year, with the game hitting PC on the 22nd of December 2011.
“MMO launches are complex, and we are determined to set a new standard for a high quality, stable, smooth launch for our fans. Our new BioWare facility and team in Galway is critical to ensuring we deliver on that goal,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, EA Senior Vice President and General Manager of the BioWare Label.
Added Dr. Greg Zeschuk, EA Vice President and General Manager of the BioWare MMO Business Unit, “It’s exciting to bring the Galway community into the BioWare family in support of this high-priority launch. This project wouldn’t have been possible without the strong support from the Irish government and the strong local mix of technology infrastructure and recruitment opportunities.”
Commenting on the announcement, Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD, said, “I very much welcome EA and BioWare’s decision to locate its customer service centre here in Galway and the additional 200 jobs announced today. The Programme for Government highlights the digital game industry as a particular priority area for growth and the presence here of EA, one of the world's leading interactive games companies, will help enhance our status as a centre for the digital media sector.”
Welcoming the announcement, IDA Ireland CEO Barry O’Leary, said, “The scale of EA’s customer service centre in Galway is a clear endorsement of the skills base in the West of Ireland.”
In addition to the BioWare facility in Galway, EA has a presence in Dublin, Ireland following its recent acquisition of PopCap. BioWare will continue to maintain its studio locations in Edmonton, Montreal, Fairfax (Virginia), Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Austin (Texas).
For recruitment opportunities in Galway, please visit:
www.bioware.com/careers. For more information about Star Wars: The Old Republic, pre-order details and special editions, please visit
www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com/preorder .