Blizzard
Blizzard’s new expansion for #1 MMORPG matches launch-day record with 3.3 million sold
Heroes of the Horde and the Alliance from around the globe unite as World of Warcraft achieves highest launch-week player concurrency since Cataclysm®IRVINE, Calif.—September 08, 2016— With Azeroth on the brink of destruction, heroes from around the world were summoned to drive back the Burning Legion’s armies last week with the launch of World of Warcraft®: Legion™, the sixth expansion to Blizzard Entertainment’s acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Today, Blizzard announced that players have forged a truly formidable defensive front—as of the expansion’s first full day of launch on August 30, more than 3.3 million copies of Legion had sold through, matching the all-time record achieved by previous expansions and making it one of the fastest-selling PC games ever.† In addition, World of Warcraft’s launch-week player concurrency climbed to its highest point since the 2010 launch of the Cataclysm ® expansion, as champions from around the world united to strike a mighty first blow against the fel invaders. But the battle has only just begun.
“It’s been a thrill to see players hunting demons, powering up Artifacts, and freely exploring all the new zones in Legion,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We worked hard to make this the best World of Warcraft expansion yet, and we look forward to providing players with even more content as Legion’s epic story unfolds in the months ahead.”
While players are currently entrenched against the first wave of demonic invaders, Legion’s next exciting chapter is already in the works. Last weekend at PAX West, Blizzard unveiled new details on the expansion’s upcoming first major content update, Patch 7.1: Return to Karazhan, featuring a reimagined version of one of World of Warcraft's most popular raids. Players will explore a sprawling five-player Mythic dungeon, facing familiar foes from Karazhan’s past—and encountering plenty of surprises and twists along the way. The update also features a new set of quests unfolding over multiple weeks in the fallen night elf city of Suramar, as well as a brand-new raid: the Trial of Valor, which sends players deep into the vrykul underworld of Helheim.
WoW Legion Companion App Now AvailableOn Tuesday, Blizzard released the free WoW Legion Companion app, a new way for players to stay connected to their adventures on the Broken Isles, even from outside of Azeroth. With the app, players can manage their Order Hall missions and track World Quest availability, making it easy to plan out their adventures from afar. Available free now on iOS and Android™ mobile devices, the WoW Legion Companion App can help heroes keep the Burning Legion’s fel fire at bay even while on the go.
About World of Warcraft: LegionIn World of Warcraft: Legion, Azeroth’s defenders must embark on a dire quest to unlock the mythic secrets of the Broken Isles, master Artifact weapons of legendary might, and rally like-minded champions to their cause in their Order Halls. In this desperate hour, they must also strike a forbidden pact with the outcast Demon Hunters of the Illidari, fel-twisted disciples of the dreaded Illidan the Betrayer. Should the heroes of Azeroth fail . . . kingdoms will burn.
World of Warcraft: Legion is available in a Standard Edition (physical and digital versions available; SRP $49.99) as well as a Digital Deluxe Edition (SRP $69.99), which contains a hoard of in-game bonuses for a variety of Blizzard games: an Illidari Felstalker mount and pet for World of Warcraft, a Felstalker mount for Heroes of the Storm®, a helm transmog and wings for Diablo® III, and a pair of fel-infused StarCraft® II portraits.
World of Warcraft: Legion is also available in a retail-only Collector’s Edition (SRP $89.99), which includes the digital bonuses from the Digital Deluxe Edition along with a full-color hardcover art book, a behind-the-scenes two-disc Blu-ray/DVD set, a CD soundtrack, and a Legion mouse pad. Supplies are limited, and players should check with their local retailer for availability. Visit
http://collectors.wowlegion.com to learn more.
World of Warcraft: Legion is now live in the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. For more information on the expansion, visit
www.wowlegion.com.
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 twenty-one #1 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.
† Based on internal company records and/or reports from key distribution partners.
* Sales and/or downloads. 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 World of Warcraft: Legion’s Patch 7.1: Return to Karazhan, including with respect to its features and gameplay, 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.
