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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