Exclusive coverage of Blizzard Entertainment's epic two-day gaming
festival also available through multichannel Internet stream and DIRECTV
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced that tickets for its sixth BlizzCon®
gaming convention will go on sale in two batches on Saturday, May 21
and Wednesday, May 25. In addition, a limited number of tickets
to an exclusive pre-BlizzCon dinner to benefit Children's Hospital of
Orange County will go on sale Saturday, May 28.
BlizzCon is a celebration of the global communities surrounding
Blizzard's Warcraft®, Diablo®,
and StarCraft® game universes. The event once
again offers players a valid reason to skip work on a Friday when it
returns to the Anaheim Convention Center this year on October 21 and 22.
Gamers around the world will also have the option to enjoy BlizzCon from
the comfort of their own home by ordering a BlizzCon Virtual Ticket,
which offers comprehensive live coverage of the event streaming online
and also on DIRECTV in the United States.
"We love being able to meet directly with our players, and since
BlizzCon is one of the rare opportunities we get to do that, we always
pack as much information and entertainment as we can into the show,"
said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "This
year will be no different -- whether you're with us in Anaheim or
joining from home, be prepared for two days of Blizzard gaming and good
times with the most passionate community in the world."
In addition to serving as a mutual stomping ground for the different
Blizzard communities, BlizzCon will feature an array of activities,
including discussion panels, hands-on playtime with current and upcoming
Blizzard Entertainment games, professional and casual tournaments,
contests, and much more. Blizzard is looking forward to learning more
about its own games from Red Shirt Guy if he can make it to the show
again this year.
Tickets to the convention will be priced at $175 USD each and will be
available for purchase from the official BlizzCon website (www.blizzcon.com)
in two separate batches on Saturday, May 21 at 10 a.m. Pacific timeand
Wednesday, May 25 at 7 p.m. Pacific time.
Tickets to the BlizzCon Benefit Dinner, which include admission to
BlizzCon, will be priced at $500 USD each, with proceeds going to
Children's Hospital of Orange County. Taking place the evening of
Thursday, October 20, this exclusive event offers guests an opportunity
to rub elbows and trade war stories with Blizzard game developers and
other employees before the show. Approximately 200 tickets to the
benefit dinner will be available for purchase beginning Saturday, May
28 at 10 a.m. Pacific time through www.blizzcon.com.
Gamers around the world will also have the option to purchase a BlizzCon
Virtual Ticket priced at $39.99 USD (pricing may vary by region). The
Virtual Ticket grants access to comprehensive live HD coverage from the
show floor on each day of the convention, including exclusive
interviews, demos, and more. Virtual Ticket coverage will be available
to viewers globally as a multichannel Internet stream and also via
Pay-per-View on DIRECTV in the United States. DIRECTV customers who
order the televised event will receive the multichannel Internet stream
at no extra charge, allowing them to watch in the format of their
choice. Those who order the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket will also receive
this year's BlizzCon-exclusive World of Warcraft® and StarCraft
II in-game items (availability may vary by region), to be revealed
at a later date. Limited streaming coverage of the BlizzCon opening
ceremony and certain BlizzCon tournaments will be available via the
Internet for free.
As BlizzCon draws closer, further details about the show, including
ordering and programming information for the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket,
will be announced at www.blizzcon.com.
To keep pace with the continued growth of World of Warcraft as
well as development on other Blizzard Entertainment games, the company
is currently hiring for numerous open positions. More information on
available career opportunities can be found at www.blizzard.com/jobs.
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 thirteen #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.
About DIRECTV
DIRECTV (NASDAQ: DTV) is the world's largest pay TV provider delivering
the premiere video experience through state-of-the-art technology,
unmatched programming and industry leading customer service to more than
28 million customers in the U.S. and Latin America. In the U.S., DIRECTV
offers its 19.2 million customers access to more than 160 HD channels
and Dolby-Digital® 5.1 theater-quality sound (when
available), access to exclusive sports programming such as NFL SUNDAY
TICKET™, award winning technology like its DIRECTV® DVR
Scheduler and higher customer satisfaction than the leading cable
companies for ten years running. DIRECTV Latin America, through its
subsidiaries and affiliated companies in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina,
Venezuela, Colombia, and other Latin American countries, leads the
pay-TV category in technology, programming and service, delivering an
unrivaled digital television experience to 9 million customers. DIRECTV
sports and entertainment properties include three Regional Sports
Networks (Northwest, Rocky Mountain and Pittsburgh) as well as a 65
percent interest in Game Show Network. For the most up-to-date
information on DIRECTV, please call 1-800-DIRECTV or visit directv.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking
Statements: Information in this press release that involves
Blizzard Entertainment'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. Blizzard Entertainment
generally uses words such as "outlook," "will," "could," "would,"
"might," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes," "may," "expects,"
"intends," "anticipates," "estimate," "future," "plan," "positioned,"
"potential," "project," "remain," "scheduled," "set to," "subject to,"
"upcoming" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking
statements. 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, but are
not limited to, sales levels of Blizzard Entertainment's titles,
increasing concentration of titles, shifts in consumer spending trends,
the impact of the current macroeconomic environment and market
conditions within the video game industry, the seasonal and cyclical
nature of the interactive game market, declines in software pricing,
product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance
of Blizzard Entertainment's products, industry competition including
from used games and other forms of entertainment, litigation risks and
associated costs, rapid changes in technology, industry standards,
business models including online and used games, and consumer
preferences, including interest in specific genres such as real time
strategy, role playing and massively multiplayer online games,
protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key
personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors and third-party
developers, including the ability to attract, retain and develop key
personnel and developers who can create high quality "hit" titles,
counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and
manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and
political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates,
potential challenges associated with geographic expansion, and the other
factors identified in the risk factors sections of the most recent
annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form
10-Q filed by Activision Blizzard, Inc., Blizzard Entertainment's parent
company. 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.
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Lisa Jensen
Vice President,
Global Public Relations
949-854-6200 dir
949-854-7900 fax
ljensen@blizzard.com
or
Rob
Hilburger
PR Director
949-242-8404 dir
949-854-7900 fax
rhilburger@blizzard.com
Source: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
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