Press Release Details

Take up the righteous cause of the Crusader and chart your own epic course through Sanctuary in the upcoming expansion to Diablo^® III

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- On March 25, the crusade against death itself begins when Diablo^® III: Reaper of Souls^™ charges forth to challenge Windows^® and Mac^® gamers around the world. Brave heroes willing to answer the call to action can prepare for the Angel of Death's forthcoming onslaught by prepurchasing the expansion digitally at http://www.diablo3.com/reaper starting today.

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls box art (Photo: Business Wire)

In Reaper of Souls, the five original heroes from Diablo III—Barbarian, Demon Hunter, Monk, Witch Doctor, and Wizard—are joined by a new champion: the Crusader. Clad head to toe in battle-scarred armor, the Crusader is an unstoppable force of righteous destruction who channels the power of divine wrath to visit retribution upon his demonic quarry.

Players will embark on a dark and perilous journey across a challenging new act, venturing through terrifying landscapes; visiting the legendary city of Westmarch; and slaying countless minions, each hell-bent on bringing their quest to a grisly end. The adventure culminates in a climactic confrontation with Malthael, the fallen Archangel of Wisdom, an otherworldly entity of unfathomable power whose twisted designs spell ruin for the innocent people of Sanctuary.

"With Reaper of Souls, we're taking Diablo III back to its darker, deadlier roots and also giving players a new way to experience the game," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "In addition to adding a new character class, a new act, and tons of fully randomized new content, we're opening up the world so players are free to explore the game as they see fit, whether it's following along with the story line or charting their own course across Sanctuary."

Prior to the launch of Reaper of Souls, a free update to Diablo III on Windows and Mac will bring a host of new game features, including a major revamp of the game's loot system; an expanded Paragon progression system for max-level characters; and expanded social tools in the form of Clans and Communities. When Reaper of Souls is released on March 25, it will introduce an array of game-changing features and highly replayable content for Diablo III players who purchase the expansion, including:

• Act V: A dark and terrifying chapter sending players on a final confrontation with death itself
• The Crusader: A new playable hero—a veritable war machine made human
• Level Cap to 70: Formidable new spells and abilities that take players to new heights of power
• Adventure Mode: A new game mode that gives players the freedom to go anywhere and slay anything
• Bounties: Randomized objectives that reward players in new ways for exploring Sanctuary
• Nephalem Rifts: Fully randomized dungeons offering endless replayability and heaps of loot
• The Mystic: A powerful new artisan who provides heroes with loot-customization options

All of this new content comes with the Reaper of Souls Standard Edition (available in physical and digital versions), which players can prepurchase at a suggested retail price of $39.99. Players also have the option to upgrade their prepurchase to the Digital Deluxe Edition (SRP $59.99), which contains a wealth of in-game bonuses:

• Exclusive helm- and weapon-transmogrification recipes for players to distinguish their characters among the champions of Sanctuary
• A Spectral Hound minion players can summon to keep their adventurers company on their epic journey
• Three additional character slots to accommodate new heroes
• A World of Warcraft^® in-game companion pet, the Treasure Goblin, ready to compete in Pet Battles
• A set of StarCraft^® II Crusader-themed Battle.net^® portraits and Malthael-themed decals

The Reaper of Souls retail-exclusive Collector's Edition comes fully-equipped with all of the bonus items from the Digital Deluxe Edition and also includes a gorgeous full-color hardcover art book, a behind-the-scenes Blu-ray/DVD two-disc set, and a mouse pad bearing the impenetrable visage of Malthael, the Angel of Death. The Collector's Edition is available at select retailers for a suggested retail price of $79.99. Players should check their local retailer for details and availability and be sure to lock in their preorder, as supplies are limited and expected to sell out quickly.

In addition to the English version, Reaper of Souls is available fully localized into Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, French, German, European Spanish, Italian, Russian, Korean, and traditional Chinese.

For more information on Reaper of Souls for Windows and Mac and to prepurchase your copy, visit http://www.diablo3.com/reaper. Keep an eye on www.diablo3.com for forthcoming updates on the launch of the Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition for PS4, which includes the award-winning Diablo III and the Reaper of Souls expansion, custom-tailored to provide the ultimate demon-slaying experience for the new generation of cutting-edge consoles.

With multiple games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has numerous positions currently available—visit http://jobs.blizzard.com for more information and to learn how to apply.

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.

*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 scheduled release dates, 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.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20131219005696/en/

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Rob Hilburger
VP, Global Public Relations
949.242-8404
rhilburger@blizzard.com
or
Emil Rodriguez
Director, Global PR
949-955-1380 x12064
elrodriguez@blizzard.com
or
Ana Luisa Mota
PR Manager
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amota@blizzard.com

Source: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

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