The defeat of Diablo, Lord of Terror, should have given rise to
an age of hope. Instead, it has drawn out a shadowy being of
immense power, whose malevolent purpose is yet to be revealed.
Announced today at gamescom, Diablo® III: Reaper
of Souls™, the upcoming expansion to Diablo III,
opens a dark and terrifying new chapter in the ongoing conflict
over the mortal realm of Sanctuary.
Malthael, the fallen Archangel of Wisdom, vanished after
the events depicted at the end of Diablo II: Lord of Destruction®.
In Reaper of Souls, he returns as the Angel of Death and
seizes the Black Soulstone, which contains the essence of the Prime
Evil. It now falls to the players to track down Malthael and stop
him before he unleashes irreversible havoc on the world.
Fortunately, a new hero is ready to join the cause and bring
Malthael to justice—the Crusader. Driven by a centuries-long
quest to cleanse the corruption blighting their beloved Zakarum
faith, Crusaders are warriors of righteousness who have been
hardened through relentless, brutal combat with the foul evils
plaguing eastern Sanctuary. In addition to wearing immensely heavy
armor and wielding a wide range of cruel and punishing weapons,
this new playable class in Reaper of Souls uses battle magic
to strengthen allies and weaken foes. A natural walking tank, the
Crusader adds power and versatility to any party of
adventurers.
“From the beginning, Diablo has always been about the struggle
between good and evil, and Reaper of Souls explores the
darker notes of that conflict,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and
cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “This expansion also
represents a big milestone in the ongoing evolution of Diablo III,
with key enhancements to the core gameplay, along with a new act to
experience, a powerful new character class, tons of new loot, and
even more end-game options. We think players will love playing
Reaper of Souls, and we can’t wait to get it into their
hands.”
In addition to taking the story of Diablo III from the legendary
city of Westmarch to the unhallowed halls of the Pandemonium
Fortress in Act V and introducing the incorruptible Crusader
class, Diablo III: Reaper of Souls increases the game’s
level cap to 70. Players continuing on with their existing
Barbarian, Witch Doctor, Demon Hunter, Wizard, and Monk characters
will benefit from an array of fearsome new spells and
abilities as they advance in level.
The expansion also accentuates the key features of the Diablo
franchise, with a greater emphasis on randomized
environments to explore; epic new quests; horrific
new monsters to defeat; and substantial updates to the
loot experience, enabling players to further customize their
characters with new and improved multilevel Legendary items, new
Blacksmith and Jeweler item-crafting options, and more.
Diablo III’s Paragon progression system is also being
majorly upgraded for the expansion, adding even more end-game
character advancement and replayability. Two new game
modes—Loot Runs and Nephalem Trials—are being added
as well, providing fun and rewarding challenges for players to
tackle when they’re not busy saving the world.
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls is playable on the show floor
at gamescom, and Blizzard will be revealing further details about
the expansion at BlizzCon and beyond as development progresses. For
further information related to today’s announcement and all the
latest news about Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, visit
http://www.diablo3.com/reaperofsouls.
With multiple games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has
numerous positions currently available—visit
http://jobs.blizzard.com for more information and to learn how to
apply.
About the Diablo
Universe
Widely regarded as a benchmark for the action–role-playing game
genre, Diablo (1996) introduced players to the dark, gothic
world of Sanctuary and placed them at the center of what would be
revealed to be a conflict between the angels of the High Heavens
and demons of the Burning Hells over the fate of the world and its
inhabitants. Diablo II (2000), along with its expansion,
Lord of Destruction (2001), and several content patches that
followed, took the series to new heights and depths, with an
elaborate multi-act story, bold new character classes, and an
intricate skill system. In Diablo III (2012), players return
to the world of Sanctuary to again confront the Lord of Terror,
supported this time by a vibrant cast of characters who join them
in battle and aid them in other ways. With the upcoming release of
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, players will face a powerful
new adversary, uncover his dark plan for humanity—and take the
fight to him in a desperate bid to save Sanctuary once more.
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 sixteen #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.
*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 Diablo
III: Reaper of Souls, 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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