The Horde and Alliance Clash in the Newest Hearthstone® Expansion, Fractured in Alterac Valley™, Live Today

The final expansion of the Year of the Gryphon introduces 135 all-new cards as players battle for their chosen faction in Alterac Valley, one of World of Warcraft^®’s most legendary battlegrounds

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fractured in Alterac Valley^™, the latest expansion for Blizzard Entertainment’s smash-hit digital card game Hearthstone^®, is now live, wrapping up the Year of the Gryphon with an epic battle between the Horde and Alliance.

Fractured in Alterac Valley introduces 135 all-new cards inspired by the legendary titular battleground from World of Warcraft^®, which defined the war between the Horde and Alliance for millions of players around the world. Players will choose between the Horde or Alliance and gain one free Golden Legendary card based on which faction they select to support^* — either Elder Shaman Drek’Thar for the Horde, or the Mountain King Vanndar Stormpike for the Alliance. To inspire the warriors of the Horde and Alliance to muster for battle, players will earn Honor Points for their faction through January 11 by playing games in Ranked, Arena and Duels modes. All players will receive a Diamond Legendary version of the faction leader whose side earned the most Honor Points, to be granted during the launch of the upcoming mini-set.

To turn the tide of war in their favor, players can add to their deck’s minions, weapons or spells with the new keyword Honorable Kill. It grants a bonus effect if they deal the exact amount of damage required to kill a minion on their turn. They can also rally the Mercenary heroes who have fought valiantly throughout the Year of the Gryphon’s yearlong narrative as powerful new Hero Cards.

“Fractured in Alterac Valley concludes an epic year of Hearthstone with a pitch-perfect tribute to Warcraft’s legendary battleground,” said Mike Ybarra, leader of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to invite players to battle it out for honor and glory in Hearthstone’s take on the Alterac Valley as we close out the Year of the Gryphon!”

Visit www.playhearthstone.com for more details on Fractured in Alterac Valley.

For screenshots and other assets, visit http://blizzard.gamespress.com.

^*Players will need to choose a faction before the launch of the next full expansion to receive their free Golden Legendary.

About Hearthstone

With more than 130 million players worldwide, Hearthstone is Blizzard Entertainment’s internationally acclaimed, free-to-play digital card game designed for novice and veteran card-slingers alike. Players can choose from 10 powerful hero classes and customize their decks with minions, spells, and weapons based on the unique fantasy of the Warcraft^® universe. Featuring a variety of game modes ranging from epic head-to-head duels to story-driven Solo Adventures, Hearthstone offers a vibrant and rewarding experience stacked with strategy, personality, and fun. Hearthstone is available globally for Windows and Mac PCs; Windows, iOS, and Android tablets; and iOS, and Android mobile phones.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

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-three #1 games^** and numerous 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.

^**Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distributors.

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 availability, pricing, features, and functionality of Hearthstone^®, the Fractured in Alterac Valley^™ expansion, and the Year of the Gryphon, 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.