Elder Scrolls Online Customer Support Center Cuts Jobs, Stays Open [UPDATE]

[UPDATE] Bethesda has issued a statement on the matter, confirming that the customer support center in Galway has not closed. There were layoffs in the middle of August, but the center continues operation.

"Following the successful console launch of The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited in June, we have a thriving console and PC online community," the Bethesda representative said. "We adjusted customer support levels in mid-August by reducing staffing by approximately 50 people to reflect the game's stability and the needs of our players. This is a normal practice. We have been diligently working with the IDA, and the employees affected by this decision since the summer. We are disappointed by the inaccuracies in the report of the Connacht Tribune."

The original story is below.

A ZeniMax customer support center for The Elder Scrolls Online in Ireland has effectively closed, with around 300 jobs lost as a result. That's according to a report today from local newspaper Connacht Tribune (via VG247). The paper states that the 300 jobs lost are a mix of full-time and contract employees. Only around five or six employees are reportedly still working at the European Customer Services Centre in Galway.

Representatives for ZeniMax could not be reached by the newspaper. GameSpot has also reached out to the company in an attempt to get more details on this news. We'll update this post with anything we hear.

ZeniMax originally announced plans to open the support center back in 2011 with the aim of delivering player assistance to European audiences. It was subsidized by IDA Ireland, a government agency designed to attract businesses to the country.

The Elder Scrolls Online itself is developed by ZeniMax Online Studios in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

The game was released in April 2014 for PC after years of development. The MMO dropped its compulsory monthly subscription in January 2015, shifting to a pay-once model with further support from microtransactions. Console versions of the game debuted on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in June 2015.

In an apparent attempt to drive more people to the game, Bethesda recently launched a promotion where you can win $1 million just for playing.