Press Release Details

Activision and Tencent Launch Call of Duty Online in China

January 12, 2015 at 8:00 AM EST

Release of New Free-to-Play Call of Duty Game Brings the World's Largest Interactive Entertainment Franchise to the World's Largest Gaming Market

Call of Duty Online is Live in China

SANTA MONICA, Calif. & SHANGHAI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), and Tencent Holdings Limited, a leading Internet services provider in China (SEHK: 00700), announced the launch of the public open beta for Call of Duty Online to hundreds of millions of Chinese gamers. Currently live across China, Call of Duty Online is a new free-to-play version of the blockbuster Call of Duty video game franchise that marks a historic first for the series, as the pop culture phenomenon expands to the world's largest gaming market.

The development of Call of Duty Online has been led by veteran Call of Duty® studio Raven Software. Inspired by the blockbuster, critically-acclaimed hits Call of Duty: Modern Warfare® and Call of Duty: Black Ops universes, Call of Duty Online draws from these iconic experiences that have captivated millions of gamers around the world in an all-new Call of Duty experience, created exclusively for China.

"Millions of gamers in the West have come to appreciate that white-knuckled, epic thrill-ride that only Call of Duty delivers. And now an entire new audience of gamers will experience this for the first time. We believe Call of Duty Online is going to be a game-changer for Chinese gamers," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. "We've worked closely with our partner at Tencent, and we've challenged one of our most trusted and talented development teams of Raven Software to create a true Call of Duty experience tailored for the Chinese market. Throughout testing, the community feedback has been tremendous. We couldn't be more excited and we look forward to winning the hearts and minds of a new community in China."

The new free-to-play experience for Call of Duty - in which gamers are able to purchase or rent in-game items - delivers an unprecedented, unique offering for Chinese players, including Hero Ops single-player campaign missions, Survival Mode cooperative experiences, best-in-class Call of Duty multiplayer and the newly created Cyborgs (PVE modes exclusive to the Chinese market in Call of Duty Online) - all delivered with the trademark Call of Duty cinematic intensity and fast-paced action, for which the franchise is known the world over.

Steven Ma, Senior Vice President of Tencent, said, "Since announcing Call of Duty Online, we have gone through a series of alpha and closed beta tests, with each test generating incredibly positive results. Call of Duty Online is a top tier game developed by an elite team and we are honored to bring this highly anticipated title to the Chinese players."

"Over the last few years, we've worked closely with Tencent to tailor Call of Duty Online specifically for the Chinese audience, while maintaining an authentic Call of Duty experience," said Brian Raffel, Studio Head at Raven Software. "We've had a unique opportunity to take the best moments from the entire Call of Duty franchise - along with all-new unique experiences - and deliver the ultimate entertainment package for a whole new audience."

About Tencent

Founded in November, 1998, Tencent has grown into one of China's largest and most used Internet service portal. Since its establishment over the last decade, Tencent has maintained steady growth under its user-oriented operating strategies. On June 16, 2004, Tencent Holdings Limited (SEHK 700) went public on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

It is Tencent's mission to enhance the quality of human life through Internet services. Presently, Tencent is providing value-added Internet, mobile and telecom services and online advertising under the strategic goal of providing users with "one-stop online lifestyle services". Tencent's leading Internet platforms in China - QQ (QQ Instant Messenger), WeChat, QQ.com, QQ Games, Qzone, 3g.QQ.com, SoSo, PaiPai and Tenpay - have brought together China's largest Internet community, to meet the various needs of Internet users including communication, information, entertainment, e-commerce and others. As of Dec 31, 2012, the active QQ users accounts for QQ IM amounted to 798.2 million while its peak concurrent users reached 176.4 million. The development of Tencent has profoundly influenced the ways hundreds of millions of Internet users communicate with one another as well as their lifestyles. It also brings possibilities of a wider range of applications to the China's Internet industry.

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.

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 Call of Duty Online, 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.

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

Activision Publishing, Inc.
Joshua Selinger, 310-496-5287
joshua.selinger@activision.com

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.

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