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Blizzard Entertainment Establishes State-of-the-Art Live-Event Destination: Blizzard Arena Los Angeles

Cutting-edge entertainment venue with a legendary past will host a steady schedule of premier live competition, including the Overwatch League™, Hearthstone® Championship Tour, and more

Tickets for the first events available now

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– World-class esports have a new home in the entertainment capital of the world. Blizzard Entertainment today unveiled Blizzard Arena Los Angeles, a cutting-edge live-event destination for pro players, esports fans, and everyone else who loves premier competition. Situated in the legendary Burbank Studios, once home to groundbreaking television shows, the studio at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles has been custom-tailored to support an exciting live-event experience for local attendees and broadcast audiences around the world. When the Arena opens for business on October 7, top competitors from across Blizzard esports will be the newest stars to shine on one of the most celebrated stages in television history.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170907006203/en/

“We’re at a tipping point for esports and we look forward to helping usher in a new era of competition-based entertainment,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “As we open the doors of Blizzard Arena Los Angeles and welcome fans from around the world, we’re honored to bring the best in Blizzard esports to the same stage that some of the biggest names in entertainment have called home.”

With multiple sound stages, control rooms, and practice facilities, Blizzard Arena Los Angeles was built to support a full slate of competitive events year-round. In addition, the Burbank, California arena will house a Blizzard retail store that rotates stock for event attendees based on the competitions taking place at the time.

Blizzard Arena Los Angeles will open its doors to the public for the first time on the weekend of October 7-8 with the Overwatch Contenders Season One Playoffs taking center stage. The culmination of a summer of formidable European and North American competition, the Overwatch Contenders Playoffs will crown the top Contenders teams in each region.

Beginning October 13, the Hearthstone® Championship Tour’s Summer Championship will bring top-notch Hearthstone pros to the Arena for a full weekend of competition, with $250,000 on the line. The global tournament will conclude the third act of the HCT and set the table for the Hearthstone World Championship, taking place in early 2018.

The early battles of both the Heroes of the Storm® Global Championship (HGC) Finals and World of Warcraft® Arena Championship will be held at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles in late October, with top Heroes of the Storm and WoW® Arena players looking to fight their way onto the championship stages at BlizzCon®, Blizzard’s annual community celebration in Anaheim, California, taking place November 3-4.

Then, later this year, some of the top Overwatch® players in the world will take their first steps toward stardom at the Arena when the Overwatch League opens a new era in professional esports. With the players leading the way, the city-based franchises of the Overwatch League have their sights set on establishing a new standard for esports excellence.

Tickets are available now for the Overwatch Contenders Playoffs and the HCT Summer Championship.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Overwatch, the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, and the multi-franchise Heroes of the Storm, 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 twenty-one #1 games* and multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Battle.net, the company’s online-gaming service, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.

*Based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners.

© 2017 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. OVERWATCH, OVERWATCH LEAGUE, HEARTHSTONE, WORLD OF WARCRAFT, HEROES OF THE STORM and BLIZZCON are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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 the opening dates, features and expected events at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles, and the dates and features of the Overwatch Contenders Season One Playoffs, Hearthstone Championship Tour’s Summer Championship, Hearthstone World Championship, Heroes of the Storm Global Championship Finals, World of Warcraft Arena Championship, Overwatch League and BlizzCon, 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.

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Rob Hilburger
VP, Global Communications
949.242.8404
rhilburger@blizzard.com
or
Mark Van Lommel
Sr. PR Manager, Overwatch League
949.955.1380 x61147
mvanlommel@blizzard.com
or
David Gordon
PR Manager
949.955.1380 x13506
dgordon@blizzard.com

Source: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

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Play Destiny 2 Free on PC August 29–31 During Open Beta

UPDATE 8/29/17: The Destiny 2 PC Open Beta has begun! Guardians everywhere can now play for FREE until August 31.

EARLY ACCESS – AUGUST 28

Players who’ve pre-ordered or pre-purchased the PC version of Destiny 2 will be able to play the Early Access phase of the PC Beta beginning August 28 at 10 a.m. PT. If you pre-purchased directly from the Blizzard Shop, you should already have a Beta Early Access license, so you’ll be ready to play when the time comes. If you pre-ordered or pre-purchased Destiny 2 through other means, please visit www.destinythegame.com/beta. If you haven’t pre-purchased Destiny 2 for PC yet, you can do so through the Blizzard Shop. 

If you have any problems accessing the PC Beta, please visit Blizzard’s support page.

OPEN BETA – AUGUST 29–31

The Open Beta phase will begin on August 29 at 10 a.m. PT. All PC players will be able to play for FREE during this period. To play, you’ll just need the Blizzard Battle.net desktop app and a free Blizzard account—no additional sign-up or code required.

For more detailed information, including what content will be available and how to submit feedback, please visit Bungie’s latest PC Beta update on Bungie.net.

INSTALLATION AND PLAY INSTRUCTIONS

When the time comes, you’ll first need to download the Destiny 2 PC Beta through the Blizzard Battle.net desktop app. To install and play on August 28 (for Early Access) or August 29 (for Open Beta), please follow the instructions below.

Step 1: Download and install the Blizzard Battle.net desktop app, if you haven’t already, and launch it.

Step 2: Create a FREE Blizzard account, or log in with an existing account.

Step 3: Click the “Destiny 2” icon, located on the left-hand side of the Blizzard Battle.net desktop app.

Step 4: Once the PC Beta client is available, select your region from the drop-down menu, then click Install to begin the installation process.

Step 5: Once installed, click Play to begin when the time comes!

PC BETA SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Here is what you will need for your PC to run the Destiny 2 PC Beta once it goes live (final specs subject to change):

Recommended Specs

CPU: Intel – Core i5-2400; AMD – Ryzen R5 1600X
GPU: Nvidia – GeForce GTX 970, AMD – Radeon R9 390
RAM: 8GB

Minimum Specs

CPU: Intel – Core i3-3250, AMD – FX-4350
GPU: Nvidia – GeForce GTX 660 2GB, AMD – Radeon HD 7850 2GB
RAM: 6GB

For more information on the Destiny 2 PC Beta, visit www.destinythegame.com/beta and www.bungie.net.

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Animated Short Welcomes Players Into Hearthstone

IRVINE, Calif.—August 23, 2017—Blizzard Entertainment today debuted Hearth and Home, a brand-new musical animated short that explores the story of Hearthstone®’s mystical Tavern—the setting for Blizzard’s smash-hit digital strategy card game. Hearth and Home is a whimsical introduction to the Tavern and its patrons and serves as the first in an upcoming series of animated shorts, as well as comics, that draw players into the game’s distinctively charming setting.  

The Tavern is a warm and welcoming place full of laughter, camaraderie, and good-natured competition, and home to a charming cast of characters assembled from every corner of Azeroth. This includes vibrant and (mostly) friendly folks such as Malto, the kindly old mage; and Sarge, the Tavern’s resident mouse. The personalities in this ethereal inn draw inspiration from the many types of Hearthstone players who enjoy Hearthstone in real life. Whether they’re seasoned pros or just getting into the game like the young protagonist Ava, there’s a place in the Tavern for everyone.

“With Hearth and Home, our new animated short, we aimed to capture the wonder and magic of Hearthstone—in the Tavern’s welcoming interior, in its colorful patrons, and of course in their catchy song,” said Lydia Bottegoni, senior vice president of Story & Franchise Development at Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re looking forward to sharing more tales from the Hearthstone Tavern featuring Ava and her friends in the months ahead.”

Pull up a chair and watch Hearth and Home, the new Hearthstone animated short, on YouTube.

Earlier this month, Blizzard Entertainment released Knights of the Frozen Throne, the latest expansion for Hearthstone, which is available now for Windows® and Mac® PCs; Windows, iOS, and Android™ tablets; and iOS and Android phones. In Knights of the Frozen Throne, players storm Icecrown Citadel, the Lich King’s frozen fortress, in pursuit of the icy monarch’s unholy power.

Please visit the Blizzard press center for assets and information.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft®, Hearthstone®, Overwatch®, the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, and the multifranchise Heroes of the Storm®, 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 twenty-one #1 games* and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service 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 Hearthstone animated shorts and comics, 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.

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Weekend Deal – Conan Exiles, 33% Off!

Save 33% on Conan Exiles as part of this week’s Weekend Deal*!

Conan Exiles now includes the Frozen North Expansion. It ushers in the second stage of the Conan Exiles Early Access adventure, introducing an entirely new environment to explore, new features, and many new improvements to core aspects of the game. Conan Exiles is now bigger and better than ever before!

*Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time

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Now Available on Steam – Subsurface Circular, 20% off!

Subsurface Circular is Now Available on Steam and is 20% off!*

When the truth is buried, go underground. Step into this new take on text-based adventure from the award-winning team behind Thomas Was Alone and Volume. A short story that hands you the fate of the world above, as a detective looking for answers on the Subsurface Circular.

*Offer ends August 24 at 10AM Pacific Time