Category: Activision News Releases

We’re thrilled to share the first official name for an Overwatch League team: the Shanghai Dragons! The dragon and the color red were chosen as themes in the team’s logo because they resonate with Chinese culture and history. Congratulations to team owner Netease and the Overwatch League Shanghai Dragons!

For more background, check out the team’s official press release as well as the new Shanghai Dragons accounts on Weibo, on WeChat as ShanghaiDragons, Facebook, and Twitter. Be sure to keep up with the latest Overwatch League news on overwatchleague.com and our official Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram feeds as well.

Destiny 2’s Concurrency Hits All-Time High for the Franchise

Destiny 2 is Largest Ever Day 1 Sales Globally for PlayStation Store

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Bungie and Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), delivered the world-renowned, first-person action game, Destiny 2, to players across the globe on September 6 on PlayStation®4 systems with additional, timed exclusive* content, and Xbox One (PlayStation®Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription, respectively, required for significant features). The original Destiny became the biggest new console video game franchise launch in history, and Destiny 2 surpassed the original’s records for engagement and digital sales in launch week. This universe will welcome players in on a new platform next month for the first time on PC. Destiny 2 PC is available for pre-order now and is coming October 24 at retail and as the first non-Blizzard game to be offered digitally via Battle.net®, Blizzard Entertainment’s online gaming service.

“With franchise pre-order records broken, and record day-one performance on PlayStation Store, it’s exciting to see engagement at the highest ever week-one concurrency for the franchise. Destiny 2 is off to a strong start as the #1 console gaming launch week of the year to date,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision. “With the PC version yet to ship, Destiny 2 sets the stage for being one of the biggest video game entertainment events of the year.”

Bungie CEO, Pete Parsons, said, “We hit some great milestones this week with our community.” He added, “We are blown away that we’ve had eight days in a row in Destiny 2 where we’ve seen more than one-million concurrent players grace our worlds. It’s equal parts inspiring and humbling, and we’re looking forward to showing everyone what’s coming next!”

For the third year in a row, Destiny is the #1 console-only game viewed on Twitch by minutes watched. Destiny 2, including its two betas, had more than 600M minutes watched on Twitch before the raid, a fan-favorite, endgame, 6-player gameplay experience started. The raid, called “Leviathan,” went live for players on Sept. 13 and immediately shot to the #1 position on Twitch based on total concurrent viewers.

Destiny 2 takes players on an epic journey across the universe to defend humanity from annihilation. The game welcomes new players to the universe, as well as those who have been devoted to the universe since the beginning, with an array of modes and activities to explore. In the story of Destiny 2, the last safe city on Earth has fallen and lay in ruins, occupied by a powerful new army. Players must master new abilities and weapons to reunite the city’s forces, stand together and fight back to reclaim their home.

In Destiny 2, every player creates their own character called a “Guardian,” humanity’s chosen protectors. Players can choose from playing the cinematic, story campaign, venturing into the expansive destinations to joining in cooperative modes including Strike missions. For competitive players, Destiny 2 offers intense 4v4 multiplayer matches in ‘The Crucible’. An all-new, community-oriented feature to be implemented in Destiny 2 started rolling out on Tuesday, and is called the ‘Guided Games’ system and helps players find groups to team up with to tackle Destiny 2‘s most challenging activities.

Destiny 2 is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and is available at a suggested retail price of $59.99. The product line-up also features the Destiny 2 – Game + Expansion Pass Bundle at $89.99 SRP, the Destiny 2 – Digital Deluxe Edition featuring premium digital content at $99.99 SRP, the Limited Edition at $99.99 SRP, and the Collector’s Edition, featuring a fully-wearable Destiny 2 – Frontier Bag, Expansion Pass, premium digital content and a Cabal-themed Collector’s Box for $249.99 SRP.

Also available are Sony PlayStation®4 timed exclusives* which include a competitive multiplayer map, a three-player cooperative Strike, a blue and white colored ship, specialized gear sets, and an exclusive exotic weapon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXZYMVqwvDQ.

For more game information, visit www.DestinyTheGame.com and follow the official Destiny social channels on Facebook and @DestinyTheGame on Instagram and Twitter. The community can interact directly with the developers at www.Bungie.net, Facebook, @Bungie on Twitter, Instagram and www.Twitch.tv/Bungie on Twitch.

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, including Call of Duty®, Destiny, Skylanders and Crash Bandicoot some of the world’s most successful interactive entertainment franchises. 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 expected release dates, features and functionality of Destiny 2, 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 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 is a registered trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks or trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

*Timed exclusive content until at least Fall 2018.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170915005228/en/

Activision Publishing, Inc.
Genevieve Waldman, 425-440-6854
[email protected]

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

This year’s Virtual Ticket is enhanced with live coverage of every stage, an all-access channel, and more

Kick off the party now with the first in-game item and several new video series, now live at BlizzCon.com

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The BlizzCon^® Virtual Ticket has leveled up! Blizzard’s two-day gaming convention returns to Anaheim, California November 3-4, and for those unable to attend in person, Blizzard has expanded the Virtual Ticket with more show coverage than ever before. For the first time, Virtual Ticket holders will have access to every stage at BlizzCon, a new all-access channel, and special events featuring streamers, voice actors, and community creators. Anyone looking to enjoy BlizzCon from home can purchase a Virtual Ticket now through the Blizzard Shop.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170913006394/en/

“BlizzCon is a celebration for our entire community, including those joining us from their homes around the world. With that in mind, we’ve updated this year’s Virtual Ticket experience to cover even more of the show—including expanding our live coverage to all the stages,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re excited to bring people closer to BlizzCon than ever before, and we can’t wait for everyone at home and attending in person to join us.”

The new BlizzCon All-Access channel will serve as the official Virtual Ticket tour guide all weekend as hosts take viewers around the show floor, behind the scenes, and deeper into the games through exclusive interviews. For those who can’t wait to get started, the season of BlizzCon starts today at www.blizzcon.com, where gamers can watch several series of all-new videos, which will have new episodes regularly in the weeks leading up to the convention. These videos will cover subjects ranging from Blizzard music to cosplay to behind-the-scenes insights from developers, and some of this content will only be available to Virtual Ticket holders as a special thank-you for their purchase.

In addition to the game developer discussions, main stage events, community contests, and other great content that is a mainstay of the BlizzCon experience, the enhanced Virtual Ticket also includes:

• BlizzCon in-game goodies for your favorite Blizzard games, including World of Warcraft^® faction-specific mounts available in-game starting today: the Stormwind Skychaser (Alliance) and Orgrimmar Interceptor (Horde).
• A customizable viewing playlist, making it easy for Virtual Ticket holders to catch all their favorite moments live.
• On-demand replays available for a month after the show, giving viewers plenty of time to catch every bit of the action.
• An enhanced esports-viewing experience, including the BlizzCon Opening Week competition.
• The option to pre-purchase this year’s BlizzCon Goody Bag (while supplies last)—a backpack full of real-world loot representing your favorite Blizzard games—at a $10 (USD) discount.
• A front-row seat to more than 60 hours of BlizzCon content from wherever you are.

As always, coverage of the BlizzCon opening ceremony and this year’s esports tournaments—including the global championships for StarCraft II, Heroes of the Storm, and World of Warcraft; the Hearthstone Inn-vitational and Tavern Vs. Tavern finals; and the finals of the Overwatch World Cup—will be streamed for free in HD at www.blizzcon.com.

To learn more or purchase this year’s Virtual Ticket for $39.99 (USD), visit the Blizzard Shop, and to stay up-to-date on the latest BlizzCon news, keep an eye on www.blizzcon.com.

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.

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, event plans and features of BlizzCon and the pricing, features and functionality of the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, 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.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170913006394/en/

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Rob Hilburger
VP, Global Corporate Communications
949.955.1380 x13228
[email protected]
or
Andrew Reynolds
Director, Global Public Relations
949.955.1380 x14301
[email protected]
or
Ana-Luisa Mota
Global Public Relations Manager
949.955.1380 x14066
[email protected]

Source: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

Fourth DLC Pack Features Four New, Epic Multiplayer Maps, Including Re-Imagined Map, Warhawk

New Co-Op Experience “The Beast from Beyond” Marks Epic Conclusion to Infinite Warfare Zombies Experience

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Retribution, the fourth DLC Map Pack for 2016’s No. 1 top-selling console video game in the U.S. (excluding hardware bundle sales), is available now on the PlayStation® Network for the PlayStation®4. Published by Activision and developed by Infinity Ward, Retribution features four new multiplayer maps, and the highly anticipated culmination of the Infinite Warfare zombies storyline called “The Beast from Beyond,” which takes players to an abandoned military base on a distant ice planet to fight the undead.

“Our mission from the start was to craft a level of customization for Infinite Warfare players to suit their combat styles, across diverse multiplayer maps where all types of players would feel rewarded. Retribution delivers on that promise, and we can’t wait to see the community jump in,” said Dave Stohl, Studio Head of Infinity Ward. “Additionally, Retribution marks the final chapter of our zombies story, so we’re taking players to a cool new setting, full of twists and turns, where they’ll uncover the true motivation behind our villain’s motives.”

Retribution presents the conclusion to the five-part Infinite Warfare zombies experience, The Beast from Beyond. The thrilling co-op mode features the return of Willard Wyler, the enigmatic movie director villain portrayed with voice and likeness by Paul Reubens (Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, Gotham). Wyler has now taken our four protagonists to a desolate military space station on a distant ice planet, where they’ll battle hordes of the undead, along with an enemy breed longtime Call of Duty fans will recognize, to uncover the real truth behind Wyler and his horror films. The Beast from Beyond also features new weapons, imaginative traps and more, in addition to the hallmark, frenetic Call of Duty action, with Seth Green (Robot Chicken, Austin Powers) as “Poindexter;” Ike Barinholtz (Neighbors, Suicide Squad) as “AJ;” Jay Pharoah (White Famous, Saturday Night Live) as “Andre;” and Sasheer Zamata (Saturday Night Live, Inside Amy Schumer) as “Sally,” all making a return from the previous installments.

Retribution also features four new multiplayer maps:

• Carnage – A post-apocalyptic race track along the California coast, Carnage features long sightlines and environmental hazards, including a fire trap players can activate on command to roast their enemies.
• Heartland – In Heartland, teams will go head-to-head in a simulation of small town America that is a re-imagining of the classic map, Warhawk from Call of Duty: Ghosts. Players can pop into the local ice cream shop for a treat, and then take out enemies down the street with a Black Hole Generator.
• Altitude – Set in a high-end, sky high shopping mall located on the edges of the universe, Altitude thrusts teams around a chaotic center where quick flank routes are key to victory. Additional features include floating lush waterfalls that border the map.

• Depot 22 – Depot 22 is a watering hole at the end of civilization that focuses on mid-ranged encounters waged in a medium-sized, three-lane map. Players can battle in the cantina for close-quarter combat or engage with enemies wall-running off of a moving train.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Retribution DLC Map Pack is available for a great value via the Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Season Pass, which can be purchased on its own or obtained as part of the Legacy Pro or Digital Deluxe editions of the game. Season Pass gives discounted access to all four Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare DLC Map Packs released during 2017 (discount based on a Season Pass suggested retail price of $49.99, and four individual DLC Map Packs at a suggested retail price of $15 each). Upon purchase, Season Pass owners also receive three additional base weapons, as well as 10 Rare Supply Drops and 1,000 bonus Salvage Credits to craft new prototype weapons.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. [NASDAQ: ATVI], and developed by Infinity Ward. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Retribution releases today, first for the PlayStation 4 interactive entertainment system, with other platforms to follow. The game is rated M for Mature (Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes).

For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com. Fans can also follow @CallofDuty 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.

© 2017 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, GHOSTS, and CALL OF DUTY INFINITE WARFARE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170912006154/en/

Activision Publishing, Inc.
Kelvin Liu, 310-255-2213
Sr. PR Manager
[email protected]

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

First Digital Personalisation Pack Available in UK on September 8^thwith Proceeds Received by Activision Going to Endowment Programmes

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The Call of Duty™ Endowment, a US charitable fund that provides grants to help veterans find high-quality employment, is expanding its support to the UK.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170908005152/en/

The Call of Duty Endowment (“The Endowment”) is a non-profit, private foundation founded in 2009 by Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Activision Blizzard. It is co-chaired by General James L. Jones, former NATO Commander and National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama and is led by Dan Goldenberg, a veteran and captain in the US Navy Reserve.

The Endowment was initially established in the US to identify and fund best-in-class organisations to place 25,000 veterans in jobs by the end of 2018. That goal was met two years early, and has subsequently and ambitiously been revised to placing 50,000 veterans into high-quality jobs by 2019.

Providing more than £19 million pounds in funding and other support to best-in-class non-profit organisations, the programme has placed more than 37,000 US veterans into full-time jobs with an average 2016 starting salary of £42,000. As a result, the Endowment has helped veterans capture over £1.3 billion in first year salaries and demonstrated the value of veterans in the civilian workplace to companies across the US.

The expansion of its activities to the UK will seek to identify and forge partnerships with a select group of UK charities, to be announced in the coming months.

To fund UK Endowment programmes, Activision today announced The Call of Duty Endowment Double Duty Calling Card for Call of Duty®: Black Ops III is available in the UK. Designed by Treyarch, the animated Calling Card allows players to view a service member transform before their eyes from a uniformed warrior to a civilian on their way to work, showing their donation’s meaningful impact on the veteran community. In addition to the animated Calling Card, the pack includes three rare supply drops. All proceeds received by Activision, as a result of sales of these digital items to UK consumers, will go towards Endowment programmes dedicated to finding veterans high quality work.

“Our expansion to the UK was a natural move-with a long-standing ally whose armed forces have served so closely with those of the US,” said Dan Goldenberg, Executive Director of the Endowment.

Through its Seal of Distinction program, enabled via a pro bono relationship with Deloitte, the Endowment identifies and evaluates veteran-serving non-profit organizations that effectively connect recent military veterans with real career opportunities. UK application criteria include:

• Organisation must undergo a review and evaluation process, as well as have a mission that includes directly assisting unemployed and underemployed veterans to find high quality jobs;
• Group must complete an application, provide requested documentation and be prepared to submit to verification procedures by Deloitte; and
• Applicants will be assessed by metrics including, the number of veterans placed in jobs, the quality of those placements, average cost-per-placement, average starting salary, six-month retention rate, and a variety of organisational, financial and other health indicators and requirements.

Winners receive a £23,000 unrestricted grant that supports their organisation’s efforts to place veterans in meaningful jobs followed by the opportunity to earn restricted grants that have historically averaged more than £450,000.

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.

About the Call of Duty Endowment:

The Call of Duty Endowment is a non-profit foundation co-founded by Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. The Endowment helps veterans find high-quality careers by supporting groups that prepare them for the job market and by raising awareness of the value vets bring to the workplace. For more information about the Call of Duty Endowment, please visit www.callofdutyendowment.org.

ACTIVISION and CALL OF DUTY are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Blizzard’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the availability and features of the The Call of Duty Endowment Double Duty Calling Card, 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.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170908005152/en/

Rubenstein Communications
Joy Phillips, 212-843-8096
[email protected]

Source: Activision Blizzard, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

Cutting-edge entertainment venue with a legendary past will host a steady schedule of premier live competition, including the Overwatch League™, Hearthstone® Championship Tour, and more

Tickets for the first events available now

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– World-class esports have a new home in the entertainment capital of the world. Blizzard Entertainment today unveiled Blizzard Arena Los Angeles, a cutting-edge live-event destination for pro players, esports fans, and everyone else who loves premier competition. Situated in the legendary Burbank Studios, once home to groundbreaking television shows, the studio at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles has been custom-tailored to support an exciting live-event experience for local attendees and broadcast audiences around the world. When the Arena opens for business on October 7, top competitors from across Blizzard esports will be the newest stars to shine on one of the most celebrated stages in television history.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170907006203/en/

“We’re at a tipping point for esports and we look forward to helping usher in a new era of competition-based entertainment,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “As we open the doors of Blizzard Arena Los Angeles and welcome fans from around the world, we’re honored to bring the best in Blizzard esports to the same stage that some of the biggest names in entertainment have called home.”

With multiple sound stages, control rooms, and practice facilities, Blizzard Arena Los Angeles was built to support a full slate of competitive events year-round. In addition, the Burbank, California arena will house a Blizzard retail store that rotates stock for event attendees based on the competitions taking place at the time.

Blizzard Arena Los Angeles will open its doors to the public for the first time on the weekend of October 7-8 with the Overwatch Contenders Season One Playoffs taking center stage. The culmination of a summer of formidable European and North American competition, the Overwatch Contenders Playoffs will crown the top Contenders teams in each region.

Beginning October 13, the Hearthstone® Championship Tour’s Summer Championship will bring top-notch Hearthstone pros to the Arena for a full weekend of competition, with $250,000 on the line. The global tournament will conclude the third act of the HCT and set the table for the Hearthstone World Championship, taking place in early 2018.

The early battles of both the Heroes of the Storm® Global Championship (HGC) Finals and World of Warcraft® Arena Championship will be held at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles in late October, with top Heroes of the Storm and WoW® Arena players looking to fight their way onto the championship stages at BlizzCon®, Blizzard’s annual community celebration in Anaheim, California, taking place November 3-4.

Then, later this year, some of the top Overwatch® players in the world will take their first steps toward stardom at the Arena when the Overwatch League opens a new era in professional esports. With the players leading the way, the city-based franchises of the Overwatch League have their sights set on establishing a new standard for esports excellence.

Tickets are available now for the Overwatch Contenders Playoffs and the HCT Summer Championship.

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. Blizzard Battle.net, the company’s online-gaming service, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.

*Based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners.

© 2017 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. OVERWATCH, OVERWATCH LEAGUE, HEARTHSTONE, WORLD OF WARCRAFT, HEROES OF THE STORM and BLIZZCON are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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 opening dates, features and expected events at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles, and the dates and features of the Overwatch Contenders Season One Playoffs, Hearthstone Championship Tour’s Summer Championship, Hearthstone World Championship, Heroes of the Storm Global Championship Finals, World of Warcraft Arena Championship, Overwatch League and BlizzCon, 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.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170907006203/en/

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Rob Hilburger
VP, Global Communications
949.242.8404
[email protected]
or
Mark Van Lommel
Sr. PR Manager, Overwatch League
949.955.1380 x61147
[email protected]
or
David Gordon
PR Manager
949.955.1380 x13506
[email protected]

Source: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

Blizzard Entertainment’s sci-fi classic emerges from the warp gate with 4K Ultra HD graphics, enhanced audio, and the same timeless real-time strategy gameplay that captivated a generation

Reexperience the war between the terrans, protoss, and zerg NOW at www.starcraft.com

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Battlecruisers are operational, the Corsairs stand ready, and the Zerglings are boosted for the rush. StarCraft^®: Remastered, Blizzard Entertainment’s lovingly crafted upgrade of the real-time strategy classic and its legendary expansion Brood War^®, is NOW LIVE and available to purchase digitally at www.starcraft.com and through the Blizzard Shop.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170814005960/en/

Widely regarded as one of the most influential strategy games of all time, StarCraft and Brood War tell the story of the first interstellar war between three distinctive factions: the Earth-born terrans, psi-powered protoss, and hive-minded zerg. StarCraft: Remastered lets players reexperience the saga of iconic characters like Jim Raynor, High Templar Tassadar, and Kerrigan, through upgraded 4K visuals, enhanced audio and music, and new illustrated story interludes.

StarCraft: Remastered continues to use the same legendary gameplay engine that’s made StarCraft a competitive gaming and esports staple for nearly two decades. The classic gameplay is reinforced with new online features that propel the multiplayer experience into the modern era and beyond. Remastered provides players with matchmaking and leaderboards, cloud saves, as well as full multiplayer compatibility with the original versions of StarCraft and Brood War.

“We know how much StarCraft and Brood War mean to our community around the world, and our primary mission with StarCraft: Remastered was to enhance as much as we could while keeping the core StarCraft experience intact,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Whether you’re a StarCraft veteran or you’re experiencing the beginning of the saga for the first time, we hope you enjoy revisiting the Koprulu Sector as much as we did.”

StarCraft: Remastered provides players with an arsenal of new updates and features, including:

• Full graphical upgrade of the original StarCraft and the StarCraft: Brood War expansion
• Widescreen UHD support for up to 4K resolution
• Matchmaking and leaderboards
• Player profiles that track individual statistics
• Cloud saving for campaign progress, hotkeys, and replays
• Improved high fidelity music and sound
• Ability to switch between Remastered and the original StarCraft with the click of a button

StarCraft: Remastered is available now digitally for Windows^® and Mac^® PCs for $14.99 USD, and is available in English, Brazilian Portuguese, Latin American Spanish, French, German, European Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and simplified and traditional Chinese. To purchase or learn more about StarCraft: Remastered, visit www.starcraft.com.

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 is one of the largest 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/20170814005960/en/

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Andrew Reynolds
Global PR Director
949.955.1380 x14301
[email protected]
or
Bob Colayco
PR Manager
949.955.1380 x14198
[email protected]

Source: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

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