A locally registered business management company has secured a contract with a major Atlanta-based gaming company to provide IT-related online-gaming support services for a popular computer game due to be launched in the United States shortly.
XXtreme Support Services, which is managed by United States-based Guyanese Leon Christian has signed an agreement with CDC Games, USA to respond to queries and anomalies raised by persons playing the Korean-created computer game Lunia in the United States.
An XXtreme Support Services official who spoke with Stabroek Business earlier this week said that the company will provide a full-time information support base for Lunia players in the United States. “Essentially, we will be operating a 24-hour support service for persons playing the computer game in the United States. Our support service will essentially be receiving e-mails from players in the United States who are experiencing problems playing the game and who are in need of immediate issue resolution.
XXtreme Support Services shared with the Stabroek Business that the decision to establish the support facility in Guyana rather than in the United States was made in view of Guyana’s closeness to the United States, the English speaking and educated workforce, the basic IT infrastructure and Guyana’s more competitive labour costs. The official explained that the Extreme Support contract with CDC Games, USA required the local company to recruit a number of young local on-line game enthusiasts to service the local online game support centre. “Essen-tially we were seeking to recruit highly motivated youngsters with a passion for information technology who could be trained to a level where they could master the game. Once trained, they will be expected to respond to all queries raised by Lunia players in the United States,
And the source told Stabroek Business that XXtreme Support Services was “particularly impressed” with the aptitude of the young recruits. “Frankly, the quality of the persons who we have recruited is one of the most pleasing aspects of our experience so far,” the source said.
XXtreme Support Services has established its support office in Camp street and Stabroek Business understands that CDC officials are due in Guyana next week to conduct a training programme for 20 persons who will be attached to the local office.
The official told Stabroek Business that XXtreme support officials had met with Go-Invest Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Da Silva and that official approval and support had been received for the setting up of the service in Guyana.
The official disclosed that the recruitment of persons to service the support centre had been contracted out to another local business consultancy, Business Unlimited. “We are actually very pleased with the exceptional quality of service that we received from Business Unlimited,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the official told Stabroek Business that XXtreme Support Services is seeking to sign additional contracts to provide customer support for additional online games in Guyana. During the final week in February, a Guyanese company will be represented for the first time at a multiplayer online developers’ conference in San Francisco, CA., One of XXtreme Support’s local recruits will also attend. “Our primary reason for going to San Franscisco is to meet and interface with developers of other multi-player online games in order to secure additional contracts.
The XXtreme endeavour is not without risk however. Our local source has shared that if the company is adversely affected by degraded internet service or constant interruptions of electricity service, the contract can be pulled. The company is currently using internet service from GT&T. XXtreme Support Services expects to hire as many as 60 youngsters by mid-year and if all goes well looks forward to building their own facility in Georgetown. The XXtreme Support project expects to invest around GY 80 million dollars on this project.
According to the XXtreme Support Services official while the new service provided for a limited number of employees, the fact that the service has come to Guyana has created an opportunity for Guyana to be kept abreast of developments in the global IT gaming industry.
