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| Gala Chairman & Group CEO Satoru Kikugawa |
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin TD today announced that Gala Inc, a Japanese online community company, is establishing a European HQ in the Digital Hub, Dublin to serve and expand its growing base of online game users in Europe.
GALA Incorporated, which was established in 1993, has become one of Japan’s largest operators of online communities. In 2000 the company was listed on Nasdaq Japan. In 2006 it acquired multiple Korean game development studios, and since then has been providing online game services worldwide. Following a strategic review, Gala–Net, San Jose, California was established in early 2006 to serve its US based online game users and has already exceeded expectations resulting in a large number of European customers downloading its games.
To serve and expand its growing base of users in Europe, the company is establishing its European Headquarters in Dublin, and plans to hire 32 people over 3 years. The Irish operation will be a direct subsidiary of Gala-Net Inc.
Announcing the company’s decision to locate its European HQ in Dublin, Martin said: “Gala is a welcome addition to the thriving games industry in Ireland, and particularly in the Digital Hub in Dublin. The industry is a strategic target for IDA Ireland and we are becoming a location of choice for the world’s leading internet and digital content companies. The functions and responsibilities of the Irish operation will be in localisation, marketing and customer services for European users in each country’s local language – starting with German and French.”
