DC Studios, a Canadian company that makes video games for consoles, PCs and mobile phones, has announced that it will set up a development studio in Dublin’s Digital Hub, creating 50 jobs in the process.
According to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, this marks Ireland’s first overseas investment in console software development. The 50 jobs will be created over the next three years with the support of IDA Ireland. The positions will mostly be filled by experienced graduates such as software programmers, artists, designers and producers.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin TD called the investment “an excellent fit with IDA’s strategy of attracting knowledge-intensive investments to Ireland”. He added that DC Studios would be “a valued addition to the growing cluster of digital media activities in Ireland, in particular games development”.
As well as providing additional capacity for the studio’s growing business, it is anticipated that the Dublin facility will soon become a full turnkey development centre employing designers, producers, artists and programmers for developing complete games from conception to production.
DC Studios was established five years ago. The company’s primary business is in developing content for major console games publishers such as Konami, Ubisoft and Hip Interactive. It also develops its own content and is currently working on a new football game, scheduled for launch later this year. It makes games for the Sony PlayStation 2 and PSP, Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and DS as well as for a wide range of mobile phones, in addition to other devices such as the Atari, Activision, and C64 direct-to-TV games systems. It has released more than 40 games over the past four years.
The company is headquartered in Montreal and has European satellite studios in Glasgow and Bristol. It currently employs 80 people.
By Gordon Smith
