Taoiseach announces phenomenal growth at Blizzard Entertainment’s European Centre in Cork from original commitment of 100 new jobs to current workforce of over 600 people

An Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD today (Thursday, May 28 2009) congratulated Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., a world-renowned developer and publisher of entertainment software, who opened their European Customer Support Centre in Cork in 2007 with the expectation of creating 100 new jobs by 2010. The company has experienced phenomenal growth and today employs over 600 people at the facility, well ahead of all predictions.

This success has resulted in Blizzard Entertainment recently signing a second agreement with IDA Ireland to help the centre focus on service innovation and the creation of best practice in the growing global market of customer support. The agreement will see the centre implement a series of new support tools, technologies and training routines which will enhance productivity and customer experience throughout its support centre network.  The new mandate is supported by Government through IDA Ireland.

An Taoiseach said “The Cork centre, which is a superb model of success and growth, is now to be further developed into an elite, leading-edge, innovation centre for customer support operations, which is truly excellent news.  This shows a remarkable continuing commitment to the future of the company’s presence in Ireland. Given Blizzard Entertainment’s market-leading position and global brand recognition, this investment is a significant endorsement of Ireland as an emerging European innovation leader in multi-lingual, technical and customer support activities for client-focused international companies.”
 
This investment by Blizzard Entertainment is part of a range of actions to keep pace with the continued growth of its industry-leading online game World of Warcraft®, while providing support for upcoming product releases, including StarCraft® II and Diablo® III.  The call centre’s workforce has the capability to speak and write in 25 different European languages. Customer support is carried out via email, telephone, forums, and in-game chat, and the centre operates 365 days a year. It complements and strengthens Blizzard Entertainment’s existing primary European office near Paris.
 
Blizzard Entertainment®, headquartered in Irvine, California, is a world-renowned developer and publisher of entertainment software with a track record of eleven #1-selling games. The company’s award-winning subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game* World of Warcraft allows thousands of people to play and interact simultaneously in a shared online environment. More than 11.5 million players worldwide subscribe to World of Warcraft. Its latest expansion, Wrath of the Lich King™, is the fastest-selling PC game of all time, with more than 2.8 million copies sold in its first 24 hours and more than 4 million in its first month.
 
Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment, said “The Cork centre has played an integral role in providing support to our European players, and with the help of IDA Ireland, it has greatly exceeded our initial expectations. This new agreement with IDA Ireland will help us maintain a dedicated workforce there that corresponds to the ongoing European service requirements for World of Warcraft as well as our upcoming games.”

An Taoiseach said “Today’s announcement represents a very positive recognition of what Ireland has to offer modern growing enterprises like Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. This investment by one of the most admired and globally recognised games companies, will add significant further value to the Cork centre and to Ireland’s reputation as a leading global location for the growing digital media sector.”

* Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are a genre of computer game in which a large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world.

  
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.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes eleven #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 –

Julia Gastaldi, Director of Communication and Community, Europe

Tel: +33 (0) 130679133   e.mail:  jgastaldi@blizzard.com


Department of An Taoiseach

Press Office, Jacky Bryan Tel: 01- 619 4033

 
IDA Ireland –

Brendan Kenny, Press & PR, Tel: 087 9036126