Global partnership with the biggest names in eSports to make
StarCraft II professional gaming more exciting and easier to follow than
ever before
SEOUL, South Korea--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced a new StarCraft®
II World Championship Series for 2013 that establishes the first-ever
official global ranking system for StarCraft II eSports. Operated in
partnership with the world's premier eSports organizations—the Korea
eSports Association (KeSPA), Ongamenet (OGN), GomTV, Major League Gaming
(MLG), Turtle Entertainment (ESL), and Twitch—the WCS features elite
StarCraft II competition in three leagues (Korean, American, European)
and provides a unified, cohesive global structure for players, fans, and
major tournament organizers.
In the WCS, players in each league will compete in three seasons and
clash in three global season finals, earning points within the WCS's
global ranking system for their performance along the way. The fierce
competition will then culminate in a global grand final at BlizzCon®
in Anaheim, Calif. this November, where the top-ranked players for the
year will compete for the title of StarCraft II World Champion.
"The structure of the StarCraft II World Championship Series is the
result of an ongoing collaborative effort between Blizzard and our
partners," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard
Entertainment. "Our collective goal was to make StarCraft II eSports
even more exciting and easier to follow for fans than ever before. On
the heels of the successful launch of StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm™,
we're all very excited about the present and future of StarCraft II
eSports."
The new structure kicks off with WCS Korea GSL on April 4. OGN will
produce season 2 in Korea, with WCS Korea StarLeague. GomTV and OGN will
alternate operation of the WCS Korea seasons and work in collaboration
to broadcast all WCS Korea action in Korea via their respective online
and TV broadcast platforms.
Operation of the American and European leagues will be managed by MLG
and Turtle Entertainment (ESL), respectively. Scheduling and other
information related to the American and European leagues will be
announced at a later date.
Twitch,
the official broadcast partner for the WCS, will broadcast all
competition worldwide on its online platform through a unified StarCraft
II destination, where fans can watch the action from all regions free in
ad-supported 720p HD.
To learn more about the StarCraft II WCS, visit http://www.starcraft2.com/wcs.
About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft®
and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®,
and Diablo® franchises, 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 sixteen #1-selling games and multiple Game of the
Year awards. The company's online-gaming service, Battle.net®,
is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.
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 StarCraft II World
Championship Series, 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.
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Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Rob Hilburger
Vice President,
Global Communications
949.242.8404 dir
rhilburger@blizzard.com
or
Emil
Rodriguez
Director, Global PR
949.955.1380, x. 12064
elrodriguez@blizzard.com
or
Bob
Colayco
PR Manager
949.955.1380, x. 12528
bcolayco@blizzard.com
Source: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
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