Diablo® III Official Global Launch Events

Blizzard Entertainment to raise hell with players at multiple stores around the world on the eve of Diablo III’s May 15 release

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced several official launch events to celebrate the release of its highly anticipated action–role-playing game, Diablo^® III, with players around the world. On the night of May 14, key retail partners in the US, UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Poland, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and the region of Taiwan will welcome gamers who want to be among the first to purchase Diablo III and lock horns with the Lord of Terror.

In the US, the official launch event will be hosted by Blizzard and retail partner GameStop at:

The Great Wheel Court of the Irvine Spectrum Mall

71 Fortune Drive

Irvine, CA 92618

Festivities will start at 8:00 p.m. PDT on May 14. Gamers in attendance will enjoy an epic evening of entertainment before Diablo III goes on sale at midnight, including a variety of giveaways; an exciting selection of Diablo-related video footage; and multiple contests with exclusive Diablo III-themed prizes, such as laser-etched desktop PCs from Intel. In addition, members of the Diablo III development team will be on site at each of the official events to meet with players and sign their copies of the game.

For more information on the global launch events, visit http://www.blizzard.com/company/events/d3-opening/. In addition to the official US launch event, other retail locations around the country will open at midnight to support gamers looking to pick up their copy of the game the moment it goes live. Please check with your local retailers for further details.

Attendees at the official Diablo III launch events will have the opportunity to purchase^† the standard edition of the game (suggested retail price $59.99) as well as the Collector’s Edition (suggested retail price $99.99), which contains the following bonus items in addition to the game disc:

• Exclusive aesthetic artifacts for Diablo III, as well as an exclusive World of Warcraft^® in-game fetish shaman pet and exclusive StarCraft^® II Battle.net^® portraits and army decal
• A behind-the-scenes Blu-ray/DVD two-disc set with over an hour of interviews detailing how the world of Sanctuary came together
• The Art of Diablo III, a 208-page art book that catalogues numerous pieces of Diablo III art, from early concepts to final 3D renderings
• The official Diablo III soundtrack CD, containing 24 original pieces from the game
• A 4GB USB soulstone, preloaded with full versions of Diablo II and Diablo II: Lord of Destruction^®, and corresponding Diablo skull base

In Diablo III, players assume the role of one of five heroic characters -- barbarian, witch doctor, wizard, monk or demon hunter -- and engage in pulse-pounding combat with endless legions of evil. As they undertake an epic quest to rid Sanctuary from the corrupting forces of the Burning Hells, players will explore diverse and perilous settings, grow in experience and ability, acquire artifacts of incredible power, and meet key characters who’ll join them in battle or aid them in other ways. Diablo III was built from the ground up to leverage the full functionality of Blizzard’s Battle.net platform, which delivers powerful matchmaking and communication tools, allowing players to seamlessly join forces for exciting cooperative play.

World of Warcraft players interested in getting Diablo III free are encouraged to join the more than 1 million players who have already signed up for the World of Warcraft Annual Pass.^* Through this promotion, with a 1-year commitment to World of Warcraft, players will receive a free digital copy of Diablo III -- which they’ll be able to start playing immediately on May 15 -- as well as an exclusive World of Warcraft in-game mount and access to the World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria^™ beta test. This offer will no longer be available as of 12:01 a.m. PDT on May 1. Learn more at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/annualpass.

For more information about Diablo III, visit http://www.diablo3.com. With multiple games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has numerous positions currently open -- visit http://jobs.blizzard.com for more information and to learn how to apply.

† Limited to supplies on hand.

* Based on internal company records.

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 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, including statements about the expected release date of Diablo III 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.

For press inquiries, please contact Rob Hilburger in Blizzard Entertainment public relations at [e-mail] or [phone].