Latest expansion for Blizzard Entertainment's massively multiplayer
online role-playing game reaches a record 3.3 million copies sold
through as of its first 24 hours of release*
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced that World of Warcraft®:
Cataclysm™, the third expansion for the critically acclaimed
massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), sold through
more than 3.3 million copies as of its first 24 hours of release, making
it the fastest-selling PC game of all time.* This milestone
eclipses the previous record of more than 2.8 million copies sold in 24
hours, set in November 2008 by Blizzard's second World of Warcraft
expansion, Wrath of the Lich King®.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm was simultaneously released in the
United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Europe, Russia,
Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand on December 7, and became
available in Korea and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on
December 9. More than 10,000 stores throughout the world opened their
doors at midnight to welcome players who wanted to be among the first to
obtain a copy of the expansion. In addition, approximately 15,000
players attended official launch events hosted by Blizzard and key
retail partners in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Russia, Sweden, the
Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the region of Taiwan.
"We had to bring Azeroth to the brink of destruction in Cataclysm,
but the result was our best expansion yet," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and
cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "We want to thank all of our new,
existing, and returning players throughout the world for their
incredible enthusiasm and support, and we look forward to hearing what
they think about all the new content."
"World of Warcraft: Cataclysm delivered even bigger day-one sales
than we experienced with StarCraft® II:
Wings of Liberty™ in July," said Bob McKenzie,
senior vice president of merchandising at GameStop, "making this a
record year for Blizzard Entertainment at GameStop."
Prior to the launch of Cataclysm, World of Warcraft's
subscriber population had grown to more than 12 million players
globally, further strengthening the game's position as the world's most
popular subscription-based MMORPG. More information about the new
expansion can be found at the official Cataclysm website: http://www.blizzard.com/games/cataclysm/.
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 career opportunities available at Blizzard Entertainment
can be found at www.blizzard.com/jobs.
*Based on internal company records and reports from key distribution
partners. Includes digital pre-sales.
About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World
of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®,
StarCraft®,
and Diablo®
series, 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.
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, shifts
in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic
environment, 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, competition from the used game market,
industry competition and competition from other forms of entertainment,
rapid changes in technology, industry standards and consumer
preferences, including interest in specific genres such as real-time
strategy, action—role-playing and massively multiplayer online games,
protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Blizzard
Entertainment, 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, and the identification
of suitable future acquisition opportunities, and the other factors
identified in the risk factors section 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.
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Lisa Jensen
Vice President,
Global PR
949-854-6200 dir
949-854-7900 fax
ljensen@blizzard.com
or
Rob
Hilburger
PR Director
949-955-1380 x13228 dir
949-854-7900
fax
rhilburger@blizzard.com
or
Shon
Damron
PR Manager
949-955-1380 x12508 dir
949-854-7900 fax
sdamron@blizzard.com
Source: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
News Provided by Acquire Media