Category: Activision News Releases

Event Standings Help Determine Sixteen Qualifying Teams to Compete at the CWL Pro League at the MLG Arena, Beginning January 23

Next CWL Open Event Returns to Atlanta, March 9 – 11

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The CWL New Orleans Open, presented by PlayStation®4, concluded with Team Kaliber claiming top prize after a fiercely competitive tournament in Call of Duty®: WWII. Teams Luminosity Gaming, Rise Nation and Red Reserve rounded out the top four spots at the end of the three-day competition taking place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180115005399/en/

CWL New Orleans Open Champions Team Kaliber claimed the largest piece of the event’s $200,000 prize pool, as part of the new season’s $4.2 million prize pool, the largest in Call of Duty esports history. This was Team Kaliber’s second CWL Global Open championship of the season, previously winning the CWL Dallas Open in December 2017.

“Winning back-to-back events means the world to us. A lot of people doubted us, even after our Championship win at CWL Dallas, and I’m glad we could prove them all wrong,” said CWL New Orleans Open MVP Martin ‘Chino’ Chino. “I’m really proud of us but being as good as we are I feel like we can keep improving. We want to stay at the top and the next challenge is the CWL Pro League and then CWL Atlanta in March.”

Teams from North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region competed in the enormous open bracket during the event for a chance at being crowned champion on Sunday. Fans watched the event over the weekend in front of live fans, online at MLG.com/CallofDuty and via the in-game Call of Duty®: WWII Headquarters Theater.

Here are the final rankings for the CWL New Orleans Open:

• 1^st – Team Kaliber
• 2^nd – Luminosity Gaming
• 3^rd – Rise Nation
• 4^th – Red Reserve
• 5^th/6^th – Echo Fox / eUnited
• 7^th/8^th – Evil Geniuses / FaZe Clan

Based on CWL Pro Points accrued throughout the season and ending with the CWL New Orleans Open, the top 16 teams to enter Stage 1 of the CWL Pro League – a multi-stage tournament series featuring teams from North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region – will begin competing at the MLG Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on January 23.

The season continues with the next open event of the season, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on March 9 – 11, 2018.

CWL Atlanta Open tickets are available now in multiple varieties. General admission passes for the event are available for $59.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes). A Premium Pass for the event is also available for $89.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes) and includes an event t-shirt and one month of MLG GameBattles Premium. A $299.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes) VIP ticket is also available and includes an event t-shirt, event jacket, one-hour early entrance to the venue, access to the VIP Lounge and more. For tickets, visit MLG.com/CWLAtlanta.

Visit CallofDuty.com/esports and follow the Call of Duty World League on Twitter and Instagram for the latest CWL updates. For live broadcasts and Video on Demand, visit MLG.com/CallofDuty.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected features of the Call of Duty World League and the dates and features of the CWL Pro League and the CWL Atlanta Open, are forward-looking statements, that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

© 2018 Major League Gaming Corp. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY and CALL OF DUTY: WWII are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING is a trademark of Major League Gaming Corp. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180115005399/en/

Call of Duty World League
Xav de Matos
Public Relations Manager
[email protected]

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

City Hosts Second Open Event of the Season for Call of Duty World League, Presented by PlayStation®4

Teams from North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific Region to Contend for $200,000 Event Prize Pool as Part of $4.2 Million CWL Season Prize Purse

Qualifications for Upcoming CWL Pro League Starting Later this Month also at Stake

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The second open tournament of the 2018 Call of Duty World League season, presented by PlayStation®4, gets underway today through Sunday (January 12 – 14) at the CWL New Orleans Open. Call of Duty® esports teams from around the world, including teams from North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region (APAC), will visit the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans to battle for the open event championship and a share of the event prize pool as part of the CWL largest season long prize purse in league history, topping $4.2 million.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180112005481/en/

The top four teams from the open winners’ bracket will join pool play tomorrow. Those winning teams will then move on to compete on Sunday in the championship bracket, for a $200,000 event prize pool and the title of CWL New Orleans Open Champion.

“This season of the CWL already has seen tremendous growth, matching last season’s overall number of online participants in the first month of the new season. We cannot wait for the action to begin this weekend with our visit to New Orleans,” said Call of Duty Esports Director, Kevin Flynn. “CWL New Orleans is an important event for the overall 2018 Call of Duty World League season. In addition to the prize purse at stake, the results at this open event also will help determine the teams we see during our CWL Pro League series, which begins later this month.”

CWL Dallas Open Champion Team Kaliber will be the team to watch, as it attempts to take its second championship of the season against fierce competition.

Results at CWL New Orleans Open will help determine sixteen qualifying teams for the CWL Pro League, a nine-week tournament series at the MLG Arena in Columbus, Ohio, beginning January 23. The second-ever CWL Pro League offers a $200,000 prize pool for teams that qualify for the series and the ability to earn a spot in the Stage 1 playoff series, which carries a $500,000 event prize pool.

CWL New Orleans Open tickets are available in multiple varieties. General admission passes for the event are available for $59.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes). A Premium Pass for the event is also available for $89.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes) and includes an event t-shirt and one month of MLG GameBattles Premium. A $299.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes) VIP ticket is also available and includes an event t-shirt, event jacket, one-hour early entrance to the venue, access to the VIP Lounge and more. For tickets, visit MLG.com/CWLNOLA.

Visit CallofDuty.com/esports and follow the Call of Duty World League on Twitter and Instagram for the latest CWL updates. For live broadcasts and Video on Demand, visit MLG.com/CallofDuty.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected features of the Call of Duty World League and the dates and features of the CWL New Orleans Open and the CWL Pro League, are forward-looking statements, that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

© 2018 Major League Gaming Corp. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY and CALL OF DUTY WWII are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING is a trademark of Major League Gaming Corp. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180112005481/en/

Call of Duty World League
Xav de Matos
Public Relations Manager
[email protected]

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) intends to release its fourth quarter 2017 results after the close of the market on Thursday, February 8, 2018. In conjunction with this release, Activision Blizzard will host a conference call that will be broadcast over the internet.

Thursday, February 8, 2018

1:30 p.m. Pacific Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Time)

To listen to the call, please log onto:

http://investor.activision.com/events.cfm

Or dial:

U.S. and Canada: 888-515-2235

International: 719-325-4942

Passcode: 1423198

A presentation corresponding with the conference call will be available in Adobe Acrobat format at http://investor.activision.com/events.cfm. A replay of the call will also be available approximately three hours after the call’s conclusion and archived for one year in the Investor Relations section at www.activisionblizzard.com.

About Activision Blizzard

Activision Blizzard, Inc., a member of the Fortune 500 and S&P 500, is the world’s most successful standalone interactive entertainment company. We delight hundreds of millions of monthly active users around the world through franchises including Activision’s Call of Duty®, Destiny and Skylanders®, Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Hearthstone®, Diablo®, StarCraft®, and Heroes of the Storm®, and King’s Candy Crush™, Pet Rescue™, Bubble Witch™ and Farm Heroes™. The company is one of the Fortune “100 Best Companies To Work For®.” Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Blizzard has operations throughout the world, and its games are played in 196 countries. More information about Activision Blizzard and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activisionblizzard.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Blizzard’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Blizzard’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include the factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and Activision Blizzard does not assume any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180111006084/en/

Activision Blizzard, Inc.
Investors and Analysts:
[email protected]
or
Press:
[email protected]

Source: Activision Blizzard, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

First major global professional city-based league opens new era in eSports

Overwatch League to be broadcast on Twitch, in addition to OverwatchLeague.com, MLG.com, the MLG app, and the new Overwatch League companion app

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The inaugural season of the Overwatch League^™ kicks off today, beginning an epic showdown between teams from some of the world’s top sports and esports leaders—and the best Overwatch players on the planet.

As the first major global professional esports league with competition organized by cities, the launch of the Overwatch League is one of the most hotly anticipated moments in esports. For the first season, 12 franchises are representing major cities in Asia, Europe, and North America. The full list of teams and owners is:

• Boston Uprising (Kraft Group)
• Dallas Fuel (Team Envy)
• Florida Mayhem (Misfits)
• Houston Outlaws (OpTic Gaming)
• London Spitfire (Cloud9)
• Los Angeles Gladiators (Stan and Josh Kroenke)
• Los Angeles Valiant (Immortals)
• New York Excelsior (Jeff Wilpon and SterlingVC)
• Philadelphia Fusion (Comcast Spectacor)
• San Francisco Shock (NRG eSports)
• Seoul Dynasty (Kevin Chou)
• Shanghai Dragons (NetEase)

The teams met in combat for the first time during the preseason, December 6-9. The first regular-season games will be played later today, with the Pacific Division teams facing off: San Francisco Shock vs. Los Angeles Valiant, Shanghai Dragons vs. Los Angeles Gladiators, and Dallas Fuel vs. Seoul Dynasty. The Atlantic Division teams take the stage at the Blizzard Arena Los Angeles on Thursday.

“Connecting and engaging the world through epic entertainment is our mission,” said Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. “The launch of the Overwatch League will provide our very best professional players the chance to inspire our engaged, connected audiences around the world. January 10th is an historic day for esports and we are so grateful to our team owners, our media partners, our sponsors, and most of all our players for their pivotal role in the establishment of the Overwatch League.”

“The Overwatch League was created to deliver an awesome and unique experience for players, teams, and fans,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “With 12 first-class teams representing major cities from Asia, Europe, and North America, we’re confident that the inaugural season of the league is going to redefine what people expect from esports—and be a giant celebration of the Overwatch^® community as a whole.”

Viewers can tune in to catch all the action on Twitch, MLG.com and the MLG app (on iOS and Android), OverwatchLeague.com, and the Overwatch League companion app, which launched Monday for iOS and Android. Blizzard players also will be given easy access to the Overwatch League’s web presence via a new Overwatch League tab in the Blizzard Battle.net Desktop App.

ZhanQi TV, NetEase CC, and Panda TV are expected to be the official broadcasting platforms of the Overwatch League in China, providing livestreams, VODs, feature programs, and other exciting esports content to Chinese audiences.

The first season of the Overwatch League will run until June, with playoffs and finals scheduled for July. For the inaugural season, all games will take place at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles, a state-of-the-art live-event venue in Burbank, California, custom-renovated for Blizzard Entertainment esports events. Fans can purchase tickets to attend matches, which will be played each Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. A full schedule and information about ticket sales can be found at https://overwatchleague.com/.

The Overwatch community also will have new ways to join in the fun around the league. Overwatch League team uniforms are now available to purchase as in-game skins, giving fans a fun way to show their support for their favorite teams. All players who log in between now and February 13, 2018, will receive enough League Tokens to obtain a team uniform of their choice free. Skins are available for all 12 teams, and all 26 Overwatch characters, with 50% of the revenue from every Overwatch League skin sold going toward a shared revenue pool for all league teams.

The Overwatch League is supported by sponsors HP® and Intel®, with players competing on cutting-edge gaming hardware including HP’s OMEN gaming PCs, powered by the latest Intel® Core™ i7 processors.

About the Overwatch League^™

The Overwatch League^™ is the first major global professional esports league with city-based teams across Asia, Europe, and North America. Overwatch® was created by globally acclaimed publisher Blizzard Entertainment (a division of Activision Blizzard—Nasdaq: ATVI), whose iconic franchises have helped lay the foundations and push the boundaries of professional esports over the last 15 years. The latest addition to Blizzard’s stable of twenty-one #1 games,^[1] Overwatch was built from the ground up for online competition, with memorable characters and fast-paced action designed for the most engaging gameplay and spectator experiences. To learn more about the Overwatch League, visit www.overwatchleague.com.

© 2018 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. OVERWATCH, OVERWATCH LEAGUE, BLIZZARD and BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT are trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

[1] Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Blizzard Entertainment’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the dates, events and features of the Overwatch League, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard Entertainment’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

Source: Overwatch League

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180110005414/en/

Overwatch League
Mark Van Lommel, 949-955-1380 x61147
[email protected]

Source: Overwatch League

News Provided by Acquire Media

Every match from season one and two of the Overwatch League will be broadcast live on Twitch

Upcoming innovative new viewership reward system announced for fans who watch and engage with the Overwatch League on Twitch

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Today the Overwatch League™ and social video service Twitch announced a historic esports media-rights partnership, ensuring that every match of the world’s first major global city-based esports league will be readily available to fans across the globe. The first match of the Overwatch League’s inaugural season goes live on Twitch this Wednesday, January 10, on Twitch.tv/overwatchleague.

Fans of professional Overwatch have been eagerly anticipating a seamless Overwatch League viewing experience. This two-year deal, which encompasses the entirety of the league’s first two seasons, makes that a reality. With the exception of China, Twitch will be the exclusive worldwide third-party digital provider for Overwatch League regular-season, playoffs, and championship matches, with streams in English, Korean, and French.

The Overwatch League and Twitch also are developing innovative rewards for fans, which will bestow the league’s most steadfast viewers with Overwatch League in-game items. More details about content and additional rewards for the biggest fans, including some content that will be exclusive for a period of time, as well as Cheering with Overwatch League Cheermotes, will be announced as they become available.

“Our fans love to engage with content on Twitch, and we wanted to drive significant viewership of the Overwatch League in its inaugural season and beyond,” said Armin Zerza, COO of Blizzard Entertainment. “That’s why this historic and ground-breaking partnership is perfectly suited for Activision Blizzard, for Twitch, and—most importantly—for our growing global fanbase.”

“The Overwatch League is making a major impact on esports by reshaping the industry with city-based teams,” said Kevin Lin, COO of Twitch. “Given Overwatch’s consistent reign as a top-viewed game by our community, we look forward to offering their pioneering style of league play to a large and passionate fanbase that will be able to bond over not only their favorite plays, but hometown pride.”

The first season of the Overwatch League will run until June, with playoffs and finals scheduled for July. For the inaugural season, all games will take place at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles, a state-of-the-art live-event venue in Burbank, California, custom-renovated for Blizzard Entertainment esports events. Fans can purchase tickets to attend matches, which will be played each Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. A full schedule and information about ticket sales can be found at OverwatchLeague.com, and all matches can be viewed live at Twitch.tv/overwatchleague (English-language channel), Twitch.tv/overwatchleague_kr (Korean-language channel), and Twitch.tv/overwatchleague_fr (French-language channel).

About the Overwatch League™

The Overwatch League™ is the first major global professional esports league with city-based teams across Asia, Europe, and North America. Overwatch^® was created by globally acclaimed publisher Blizzard Entertainment (a division of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI)), whose iconic franchises have helped lay the foundations and push the boundaries of professional esports over the last 15 years. The latest addition to Blizzard’s stable of twenty-one #1 games,^[1] Overwatch was built from the ground up for online competition, with memorable characters and fast-paced action designed for the most engaging gameplay and spectator experiences. To learn more about the Overwatch League, visit https://overwatchleague.com/.

About Twitch

Twitch is the world’s leading social video service and community for gamers. Each day, millions of community members gather to watch, talk, and chat about shared interests. Twitch’s video service is the backbone of both live and on-demand distribution for all types of content, including the entire video game ecosystem, the creative arts, vlogging (IRL), and more. Twitch also runs TwitchCon, the annual convention for celebrating the Twitch community. For more information about Twitch, visit our Press Center, Twitter feed (#Twitch), and Blog.

© 2018 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. OVERWATCH, OVERWATCH LEAGUE, BLIZZARD and BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT are trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Blizzard Entertainment’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the dates, events and features of the Overwatch League, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard Entertainment’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

^[1] Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180109006249/en/

Overwatch League
Mark Van Lommel
949-955-1380 x61147
[email protected]
or
Twitch
Chase
415-810-0995
[email protected]
@chasejustchase

Source: Overwatch League

News Provided by Acquire Media

Call of Duty: WWII is the Top Selling Console Game of 2017 in North America and the Biggest Console Digital Launch in Activision Publishing History

Destiny 2 Outsells the Original Destiny and Delivers the Biggest PC Launch in Activision Publishing History

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy #1 Remastered Collection in PS4 History

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Activision has delivered the No. 1 and No. 2 top selling console video games in North America this year (based on revenues), continuing a string of chart-topping title releases in 2017. At No. 1, Call of Duty®: WWII, which has already surpassed $1 billion in sell-through worldwide since its launch last month, is the top selling console video game of the year in North America, extending Call of Duty®‘s run as the No. 1 top selling console video game franchise in North America for nine consecutive years, based on revenue. Developed by Bungie, Destiny 2 secured its status as the No. 2 highest selling console video game in North America for the year, based on revenue, while also becoming the biggest PC launch in Activision Publishing history, based on units. Additionally, Crash Bandicoot™ N. Sane Trilogy, is the No. 1 top selling remastered collection in PS4 history. (i)¹

“Call of Duty: WWII is the #1 top grossing console game of the year in North America, and Destiny 2 is #2,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision. “That means Call of Duty has been the #1 top grossing console gaming franchise in North America for a staggering nine years in a row, and worldwide eight out of the last nine years. Thank you to our players for your incredible passion and engagement. And thank you to our talented, committed teams all across the globe that make incredible results like this happen.”

Developed by Sledgehammer Games with support from Raven Software, Call of Duty: WWII is already the #1 top selling Call of Duty game on current generation consoles and is the biggest console digital launch in Activision Publishing history. Call of Duty has been the top-selling console franchise worldwide eight of the last nine years.

Based on units, Destiny 2 has outsold Destiny, hailed as the “biggest new video game IP launch in history” at the time. The highly-acclaimed sequel is the first Activision title launched on Battle.net, and is the biggest PC launch in Activision Publishing history. The game has earned more than 90 awards and nominations to date. Activision and Bungie also released the Destiny 2 Ghost Skill for Amazon Alexa, a first of its kind for games, allowing players to ask Alexa and Ghost to perform in-game tasks.

In 2017, Activision also released Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, a remastered collection featuring one of the most iconic and famed personalities in video game history. Released in June and developed by Vicarious Visions, the remaster quickly became a fan favorite with gamers on its way to being the No. 1 top selling remastered collection in PS4 history. The title has continued to remain among the top 10 selling PS4 titles in the US for the year, so far, in units. (ii)¹

The enthusiastic community response has been felt globally. Call of Duty: WWII has been named the UK Christmas No. 1 title for 2017 by Chart-Track. For four consecutive years, Call of Duty titles have held this honor. Further, Call of Duty: WWII has held the mantle of No. 1 selling title in the UK according to Chart-Track for seven consecutive weeks, since its launch. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy spent a total of seven weeks also at No. 1 earlier this year.

Activision Publishing, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI).

About Bungie

Bungie is an independent, employee-owned game development studio dedicated to creating hopeful worlds that inspire passionate player communities. For more than two-and-a-half decades that purpose has led to the creation of some of the industry’s most celebrated gaming franchises, including Marathon, Myth, Halo, and Destiny. Today, Bungie is focused on creating new experiences and adventures for the Destiny 2 community to share.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

© 2017 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY WWII, CRASH and CRASH BANDICOOT are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. © 2017 Bungie, Inc. All rights reserved. Destiny, the Destiny Logo, Bungie and the Bungie Logo are among the trademarks of Bungie, Inc. Published and distributed by Activision. Activision

(i) According to NPD, GfK/GSD and Activision internal estimates, through Oct. 2017
(ii) According to NPD, GfK/GSD and Activision internal estimates, through Oct. 2017

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171220005383/en/

Activision Publishing, Inc.
Mike Mantarro
VP, Call of Duty PR
310.255.2731
[email protected]

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

Earns Winner’s Share of Event Prize Pool and Becomes Early Favorite in New CWL Season Featuring $4.2 Million in Overall Prizing – the Largest in Call of Duty Esports History

Next Up CWL New Orleans Open, Jan. 12 – 14

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The CWL Dallas Open culminated with Team Kaliber claiming the top-place finish during a fiercely competitive tournament in Call of Duty®: WWII. Teams Splyce, OpTic Gaming and FaZe Clan rounded out the top four spots to conclude the three-day competition at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171211005841/en/

CWL Dallas Open Champs Team Kaliber claimed the largest piece of the event’s $200,000 prize pool, as part of the new season’s $4.2 million prize pool, the largest in Call of Duty esports history.

“Team Kaliber winning CWL Dallas means everything to me. We’ve all been putting a lot of hard work in the last few years and I’ve had a chance to watch all my friends succeed in that time. I relive this moment through their eyes and now I’ve had my chance to win,” said Team Kaliber’s Lamar “Accuracy” Abedi after being named CWL Dallas Open MVP. “Thanks for all the fans in the crowd and watching online. This has been unbelievable.”

The enormous open bracket of more than 200 teams proved to be the largest CWL open event competition ever, where they faced-off over the weekend in front of live fans and online at MLG.com/CallofDuty.

Here are the final rankings for the CWL Dallas Open:

• 1^st – Team Kaliber
• 2^nd – Splyce
• 3^rd – OpTic Gaming
• 4^th – FaZe Clan
• 5^th/6^th – Echo Fox / eUnited
• 7^th/8^th – Luminosity / Team EnVyUs

Team Kaliber established themselves as the early team to beat in the new Call of Duty World League season. The focus now shifts to New Orleans, the site of the season’s second open event. CWL New Orleans Open will take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on January 12-14, 2018.

CWL New Orleans Open tickets are available now in multiple varieties. General admission passes for the event are available for $59.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes). A Premium Pass for the event is also available for $89.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes) and includes an event t-shirt and one month of MLG GameBattles Premium. A $299.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes) VIP ticket is also available and includes an event t-shirt, event jacket, one-hour early entrance to the venue, access to the VIP Lounge and more. For tickets, visit MLG.com/CWLNOLA.

Visit CallofDuty.com/esports and follow the Call of Duty World League on Twitter and Instagram for the latest CWL updates. For live broadcasts and Video on Demand, visit MLG.com/CallofDuty.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected features of the Call of Duty World League and the dates and features of the CWL New Orleans Open, are forward-looking statements, that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

© 2017 Major League Gaming Corp. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY and CALL OF DUTY WWII are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING is a trademark of Major League Gaming Corp. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171211005841/en/

Call of Duty World League
Xav de Matos
Public Relations
[email protected]

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

Debut Event of Season Brings in Record Number of Teams to a CWL Event;
CWL Season Prize Pool Tops $4.2 Million

First Live Open Tournament of new CWL Season Features Over 200 Teams from North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific Region to Compete for $200,000 Prize Pool

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The first open tournament of what could be the most exciting season yet of the Call of Duty® World League (CWL) gets underway today through Sunday (December 8 -10) at the CWL Dallas Open. Call of Duty Esports teams from around the world, including North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) will descend on the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas to go head-to-head for the first bragging rights of the new CWL season featuring Call of Duty®: WWII and the initial steps toward the biggest yearly prize pool in CWL history topping $4.2 million.

This weekend’s event will feature more than 200 teams, the most at an open event in CWL history. The top four teams from the open winners’ bracket will join pool play tomorrow for the next round of competition. Those winning teams will then compete on Sunday in the championship bracket, for a $200,000 event prize pool and the title of the CWL Dallas Open Champion.

“The CWL Dallas field is set. This is going to be an amazing competition and a great start to the CWL tournament season,” said executive vice president and general manager of Call of Duty, Rob Kostich. “The team at Sledgehammer Games has delivered an incredible experience with Call of Duty: WWII. Our team passes for the event sold out in minutes. We cannot wait to see who emerges from the pack starting in Dallas this weekend.”

“Call of Duty World League player participation saw tremendous growth last season, with teams vying for a piece of the largest prize pool in Call of Duty Esports history,” said Call of Duty Esports Director, Kevin Flynn. “This season, the prize pool has increased to $4.2 million and a record number of players at a Call of Duty World League open event will compete in Dallas.”

2017 CWL Dallas Open Champion OpTic Gaming will have to defend their title against fierce competition at this year’s event.

CWL Dallas Open tickets are available in multiple varieties. General admission passes for the event are available for $59.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes). A Premium Pass for the event is also available for $89.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes) and includes an event t-shirt and one month of MLG GameBattles Premium. A $299.99 (plus applicable fees and taxes) VIP ticket is also available and includes an event t-shirt, event jacket, one-hour early entrance to the venue, access to the VIP Lounge and more. For tickets, visit MLG.com/CWLDallas.

Visit CallofDuty.com/esports and follow the Call of Duty World League on Twitter and Instagram for the latest CWL updates. For live broadcasts and Video on Demand, visit MLG.com/CallofDuty.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected dates and features of the CWL Dallas Open and the features of the Call of Duty World League, are forward-looking statements, that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

© 2017 Major League Gaming Corp. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY and CALL OF DUTY WWII are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING is a trademark of Major League Gaming Corp. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171208005494/en/

Call of Duty World League
Xav de Matos
Public Relations
[email protected]

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

Unearth 135 new cards from Azeroth’s deepest dungeons in the latest expansion for Blizzard Entertainment’s internationally acclaimed digital card game

Brave adventurers can now embark on single-player Dungeon Runs for an endlessly replayable, escalating challenge that’s completely free to all players—no prebuilt decks required

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Eager adventurers can now set out in search of Legendary Weapons, mysterious treasures, and 135 alluring new cards hidden deep underground in Kobolds & Catacombs^™—the latest expansion for Hearthstone^®, Blizzard Entertainment’s smash-hit digital card game.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171207006016/en/

Kobolds & Catacombs takes Hearthstone players into the bowels of Azeroth, where the dastardly kobolds have been boring tunnels for thousands of years and hiding away scores of ancient treasures. Hearthstone players will discover powerful new cards among these riches, including a Legendary Weapon for each class—one of which everyone who logs in to Hearthstone starting today will receive free. Rumors also speak of mighty Spellstones, magical jewels for each class whose effects grow in power throughout a match. Ever-wary of greedy adventurers’ plots to liberate their hoards, the kobolds have lured terrible monsters and laid deadly traps to help protect them. Luckily, adventurers don’t have to go it alone. By playing cards with the new Recruit keyword, players can summon random minions directly from their decks, opening the door for entirely new approaches to deckbuilding.

The deadliest hazards of all await players in Kobolds & Catacombs’ new and completely free single-player mode: Dungeon Runs. These high-stakes subterranean adventures are inspired by the iconic fantasy dungeon crawl, and they’re never the same experience twice. Those brave enough to embark on these challenges can earn three free Kobolds & Catacombs card packs by completing a series of introductory quests. Players who complete a full Dungeon Run with all nine classes will also earn the “Candle King” card back—indisputable proof that they’ve mastered one of Hearthstone’s most daunting challenges yet.

“Kobolds & Catacombs harkens back to the type of old-school fantasy-gaming experience that many of us at Blizzard and in the community grew up on,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We think players are going to love the new cards and testing their mettle in Dungeon Runs, and we can’t wait to see how deck strategies evolve with the new mechanics we’ve added with this set.”

Kobolds & Catacombs is available now for Windows® and Mac® PCs; Windows, iOS, and Android™ tablets; and iOS and Android phones. Card packs can be purchased individually or in discounted bundles from the in-game Shop for gold or real-world currency at the same price as all other Hearthstone card packs. Players now have the chance to win Kobolds & Catacombs card packs as quest rewards or prizes in the Arena, and can also craft cards from the expansion by using Arcane Dust collected from disenchanting unwanted cards.

For a limited time, players who log in to Hearthstone will receive three free Kobolds & Catacombs card packs to celebrate the launch of the expansion—in addition to the ones earned from the introductory Dungeon Run quests.

Visit www.koboldsandcatacombs.com to learn more about the expansion and prepare yourself for the hazards and horrors that await you in the depths below Azeroth.

Assets available at: https://blizzard.gamespress.com/Hearthstone

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft^®, Hearthstone^®, Overwatch^®, the Warcraft^®, StarCraft^®, and Diablo^® franchises, and the multi-franchise Heroes of the Storm^®, 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 twenty-one #1 games^* and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online gaming service, Blizzard Battle.net^®, is one of the largest online-gaming services in the world, with millions of active players.

*Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171207006016/en/

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Che’von Slaughter
Senior Manager, Public Relations
949.955.1380 x14338
[email protected]
or
Lyndsi Achucarro
PR Manager, Global
949.955.1380 x12650
[email protected]
or
Christine Yeo
PR Manager, North America
949.955.1380 x61002
[email protected]

Source: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

Exclusive Winter-Themed Carentan Multiplayer Map, Gun Game Mode, Double XP Playlists and Winter Siege Supply Drops Available to all Players During Limited Time Celebration

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The first seasonal community event for Call of Duty®: WWII is here. Running Friday, December 8, 2017, through Tuesday, January 2, 2018, Winter Siege delivers an array of activities and content for free to all Call of Duty: WWII players for a limited time. The Winter Siege features a new, frost-covered Winter Carentan multiplayer map, the return of the Gun Game party mode, Double XP Playlists, a winterized Headquarters with new visiting Quartermaster as well as new Winter Siege Supply Drops delivering new, limited edition winter gear and content to players. Winter Siege is packed to the brim for the Call of Duty: WWII community this holiday season.

“The Winter Siege is all about celebrating with the Call of Duty® community,” said Aaron Halon, Senior Product Developer, Multiplayer, Sledgehammer Games. “There’s a ton of content for everyone to play during this time from a reimagined Winter Carentan multiplayer map that’s now packed with snow to Gun Game to Supply Drops full of winter-themed gear and content all available throughout the Winter Siege.”

Winter Siege Features:

The Call of Duty: WWII Winter Siege event brings the seasonal change to Multiplayer like never before. During the Winter Siege event, all players will have access to Winter Carentan, a snow-covered, winter-themed version of the fan-favorite Carentan map, previously only available as reimagined Carentan to Season Pass owners.

The Winter Siege event also marks the limited-time return of Gun Game. This beloved mode makes its Call of Duty: WWII debut during the second week of the event as part of a non-stop schedule of special 2XP playlists, delivering a perfect way for players to take a variety of weapons out for a spin and keep their opponents guessing.

The Winter Siege event also winterizes Headquarters, with the beach encampment taking on a seasonally appropriate appearance for the span of the event, and welcoming an all-new Quartermaster, Captain Butcher. Captain Butcher visits Headquarters bearing Winter Siege Division uniforms, cosmetic items and weapon variants. Players can earn a variant of each new weapon for free via Special Orders from Major Howard (Orders will be rotated daily to allow players to unlock a variant of each new weapon for free). Other rarity variants of these weapons are available through Collection Bounties, or in Winter Siege Supply Drops. Winter Siege Supply Drops can be earned for free simply by playing Call of Duty: WWII during the event. Players will also receive a free Winter Siege Supply Drop for logging in to play each week of the Winter Siege event. Players can also purchase Winter Siege Supply Drops using Call of Duty Points in-game currency.

Call of Duty: WWII is rated M for Mature and is now available for PlayStation®4, Xbox One X and Xbox One. For PC fans, the game is also now available on Steam. Call of Duty: WWII comes in the following editions:

• Base Edition and Digital Base Edition – Suggested Retail Price (SRP) $59.99.
• Digital Deluxe Edition – Season Pass** and more, SRP $99.99.
• Pro Edition – Season Pass**, collectible Steelbook™ and more, SRP $99.99

Check local retailers for availability of all Call of Duty: WWII Editions. Season Pass content is available first on PlayStation®4.

**Season Pass purchasers receive 2018 Call of Duty: WWII Season Pass content. Season Pass content is not final, is subject to change, and may not include all downloadable content available for the game. Season Pass content may not be available in all countries, and pricing and release dates may vary by platform. Season Pass content should be downloaded from the in-game store only; do not purchase separately, or you will be charged again. Season Pass content may be sold separately.

The title is published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), and developed by Sledgehammer Games with additional development support from Raven Software. For the latest intel, check out: www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty or follow @CallofDuty and @SHGames on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the dates and features of the Call of Duty: WWII Winter Siege event, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

© 2017 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, and CALL OF DUTY WWII are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171206006110/en/

Activision Publishing, Inc.
Alan Johnson
Manager, Public Relations
310.255.2757
[email protected]

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media