Blizzard® Entertainment’s Global Community to Gather Virtually at BlizzConline™ February 19–20

Rhea-AI Summary

Blizzard Entertainment announces BlizzConline, a digital celebration for the 30th anniversary of its gaming legacy, scheduled for February 19-20, 2021. This online event allows players to connect globally, offering multi-channel programming including game news, community showcases, and Q&A sessions. Attendees can access content in 12 languages, and commemorative in-game items are available for purchase. Blizzard aims to strengthen community bonds despite physical distancing, promising updates on upcoming game content and interactive experiences.

Positive

• Free access to BlizzConline will allow increased community engagement.
• Celebration of Blizzard's 30th anniversary may enhance brand loyalty and player interest.
• Multilingual support increases accessibility for a global audience.

Negative

• None.

The champions of Azeroth, the defenders of Sanctuary and the Koprulu Sector, and the heroes of Overwatch and the Nexus are invited to a virtual celebration of community, creativity, 30 years of Blizzard gaming, and the epic adventures yet to come at BlizzConline, coming February 19 and 20 to BlizzCon.com—and everyone can watch the full show completely FREE.

BlizzConline is an all-digital community event and exhibition of all things Blizzard, offering players around the globe a chance to connect in the online world while circumstances keep everyone from gathering in the real one. On two consecutive days and across six channels of programming, Blizzard developers will be sharing the latest game news with the world, and cosplayers, artists, and makeshift murlocs will be sharing their talents through events such as the Community Showcase. In addition, as Blizzard celebrates its 30^th anniversary this February, players everywhere will have a chance to mark three decades of exploring epic games and universes together as they look forward to what the future holds for their friends, guildmates, and allies.

“We couldn’t let too much time go by without connecting with our community in the spirit of BlizzCon, and that’s what this show is all about—getting together with friends from around the world and celebrating the bonds and experiences we share through games,” said J. Allen Brack, president of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re also excited to share some updates on what the teams have been working on—and while this won’t be the usual BlizzCon, the all-online format gives us a unique opportunity to shake things up a bit and create a show specifically for a community at home.”

Day one of BlizzConline will kick off at 2 p.m. PST on Friday, February 19, with an opening segment that includes a first look at some of the latest game content now in development. Then for the next three-plus hours, players will have the option to tune in to one of six different themed channels digging deeper into the games they’re most interested in.

Day two will pick back up at 12 p.m. PST on Saturday, February 20, with multiple channels once again, until the event concludes later that afternoon. On this second day, Blizzard will be answering players’ questions through Q&A sessions and shining a spotlight on its global player community, including the winners and outstanding entries in the Community Showcase cosplay, movie, talent, and art contests and exhibitions.

Players who miss out on events as they’re broadcast will be able to watch them after they premiere (also free) in the BlizzConline video archives. A detailed schedule of events and segments will be announced in the weeks leading up to the show.

In addition to the anniversary celebration activities taking place during and around BlizzConline, an array of commemorative in-game goodies is available for sale starting today^†, giving players fun new ways to mark the epic occasion in their favorite Blizzard games during BlizzConline and beyond. Players can now pick up one of three Celebration Collections in the Blizzard Shop on Battle.net^®:

- Essentials Pack ($19.99): Get in on the fun with a Moon-Touched Netherwhelp pet for World of Warcraft^®, Tracer’s OSV-03 Rogue mount with Tracer Hero in Heroes of the Storm^®, Overwatch^® player icon and spray (coming soon), a set of StarCraft^® portraits (coming soon), and a Diablo^® III pet and portrait (PC version; coming soon).^† Plus, get 10 Madness at the Darkmoon Faire™ card packs for Hearthstone^®, 5 Overwatch Loot Boxes, and a code to receive 15% off one order in the Blizzard Gear Store (restrictions apply).

- Heroic Pack ($39.99): Upgrade to add the mighty Snowstorm bear mount to your WoW collection and give ’em some hammer as legendary “Raynhardt” in Overwatch (coming soon). Plus, score a random legendary Hearthstone card from the Madness at the Darkmoon Faire set, and don cosmetic wings in Diablo III (PC version; coming soon).^†

- Epic Pack ($59.99): Go for the gold and get everything in the Heroic Pack plus five Golden Madness at the Darkmoon Faire card packs including all Golden cards; three Golden Loot Boxes in Overwatch, each with a guaranteed legendary; 30 days of World of Warcraft game time; and a set of Diablo III transmog items (PC version; coming soon).^†

A version of this bundle is planned for Overwatch and Diablo III players on console; details, pricing, and availability will be announced at later date.

Select BlizzConline content will be supported in 12 languages via live stream or VOD, including English with subtitles in European Spanish, French, German, Russian, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, simplified Chinese, and traditional Chinese.

For more information on BlizzConline, visit www.blizzcon.com.

For artwork and other assets for BlizzConline and Blizzard’s games, visit http://blizzard.gamespress.com.

^†Overwatch skin, portrait, and spray and StarCraft portraits will be in-game no later than February 18, 2021; Diablo III in-game items will be in-game no later than February 28, 2021.

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 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.

*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, features, functionality and content of BlizzConline^™ and the Celebration Collection, 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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210201005820/en/

FAQ

What are the dates for BlizzConline 2021?

BlizzConline will take place on February 19-20, 2021.

What can attendees expect from BlizzConline?

Attendees can expect game news, community showcases, and Q&A sessions across six channels.

Are there any costs associated with attending BlizzConline?

No, BlizzConline is completely free to watch.

Will there be in-game items available during BlizzConline?

Yes, commemorative in-game items are available for purchase starting today.

How many languages will BlizzConline support?

BlizzConline will support content in 12 languages.

Is Blizzard celebrating any milestones during BlizzConline?

Yes, Blizzard is celebrating its 30th anniversary during the event.