Highly-Rated Kids' Game will be One of the Few Family Launch
Titles for Next-Generation Platforms This Holiday
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The critically acclaimed video game Skylanders SWAP Force™
from Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of
Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), is set to be released in North
America for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One
all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft on November
12, 2013. Skylanders SWAP Force is the third installment
of the top selling kids' video game franchise of 2013.1
Hailed as "4 stars out of 4" by USA Today, "The Best Skylanders Game
Yet" by Forbes.com and "…the series' best so far" by Associated Press, Skylanders
SWAP Force is one of the highest rated kids' games of the year
and one of the few kids' titles available on the next-generation of
video game consoles this holiday. The game, which "sings on next-gen"
according to online gaming site Kotaku.com, is already positioned to be
a must-have game this holiday, having been named to the 2013 Toys"R"Us®
"Fabulous 15" on the company's Holiday Toy List. The game has also been
included on TimeToPlayMag.com's Most Wanted List and Toy Insider's Hot
20 Holiday Toys of 2013 List.
Skylanders SWAP Force pushes the boundaries of innovation
and imagination with an all new play pattern — swapability — that allows
gamers to transform 16 SWAP Force™ characters into more than 250
unique characters by swapping the top and bottom halves of the toys.
Building on the franchise's signature gameplay and collectible toy
experience, the game takes kids on an all-new adventure with more than
30 new characters each with unique powers and personalities.
Additionally, fans can play Skylanders SWAP Force on
next-generation consoles with their entire collection of 100+ characters
from Skylanders Spyro's Adventure® and Skylanders
GiantsTM.
Optimized for next-generation game systems, Skylanders SWAP Force
features an all new graphics engine that delivers high-resolution
visuals that bring to life amazingly detailed characters and richer
environments to deliver a high level of visual fidelity that immerse
players in the game like never before. The game runs in native 1080p on
both next-generation consoles, further bridging the gap between a video
game and feature film experience.
About the Skylanders® Franchise
The award-winning, billion dollar Skylanders franchise pioneered
the toys-to-life category in 2011 with the debut of Skylanders
Spyro's Adventure. The game originated a new play pattern that
seamlessly bridged physical and virtual worlds across multiple platforms
and became the top-selling kids' videogame of the year. In October 2012, Skylanders
Giants™ further evolved the genre and added the mega-sized Giant
Skylanders and LightCore characters to the collection of
interaction figures. Skylanders Giants was awarded the
"e-Connected Toy of the Year" at the 13th Annual Toy of the Year (TOTY)
Awards. The next innovation in the franchise Skylanders SWAP Force
was developed by Vicarious Visions, an Activision studio. The game is
rated E10+ by the ESRB. For more information, visit www.skylanders.com.
About Activision Publishing
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc.
is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of
interactive entertainment and leisure products. Activision maintains
operations in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom,
France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, the
Netherlands, Australia, Singapore, mainland China, Hong Kong and the
region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can
be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.
From USA Today, November 11 © 2013 Gannett-USAToday. All rights
reserved. Used by permission and protected by the Copyright Laws of the
United States. The printing, copying, redistribution, or retransmission
of this Content without express written permission is prohibited.
From Forbes.com, November 11 © 2013 Forbes. All rights reserved. Used by
permission and protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States. The
printing, copying, redistribution, or retransmission of this Content
without express written permission is prohibited.
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
date of SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE, 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.
© 2013 Activision Publishing, Inc. SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE, SWAP FORCE,
and SKYLANDERS GIANTS are trademarks, and SKYLANDERS SPYRO'S ADVENTURE,
SKYLANDERS, LIGHTCORE and ACTIVISION are registered trademarks of
Activision Publishing, Inc.
¹ Based on revenue, according to The NPD Group, Gfk Media Control® and
Activision internal estimates, including toys and accessory packs,
through September 30, 2013.
PMK•BNC
Michele Wyman, 310-854-3264
michele.wyman@pmkbnc.com
or
Activision
Publishing, Inc.
Dior Brown, 424-744-5864
dior.brown@activision.com
Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.
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