Activision and Tencent Launch Call of Duty Online in China
January 12 2015 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
Release of New Free-to-Play Call of Duty
Game Brings the World’s Largest Interactive Entertainment Franchise
to the World’s Largest Gaming Market
Call of Duty Online is Live in China
Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), and Tencent Holdings
Limited, a leading Internet services provider
in China (SEHK: 00700), announced the launch of the
public open beta for Call of Duty Online to hundreds of
millions of Chinese gamers. Currently live across China, Call of
Duty Online is a new free-to-play version of the blockbuster Call
of Duty video game franchise that marks a historic first for the
series, as the pop culture phenomenon expands to the world’s
largest gaming market.
The development of Call of Duty Online has been led by
veteran Call of Duty® studio Raven Software. Inspired by the
blockbuster, critically-acclaimed hits Call of Duty: Modern
Warfare® and Call of Duty: Black Ops universes, Call of Duty
Online draws from these iconic experiences that have captivated
millions of gamers around the world in an all-new Call of Duty
experience, created exclusively for China.
“Millions of gamers in the West have come to appreciate that
white-knuckled, epic thrill-ride that only Call of Duty delivers.
And now an entire new audience of gamers will experience this for
the first time. We believe Call of Duty Online is going to
be a game-changer for Chinese gamers,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of
Activision Publishing. “We’ve worked closely with our partner at
Tencent, and we’ve challenged one of our most trusted and talented
development teams of Raven Software to create a true Call of Duty
experience tailored for the Chinese market. Throughout testing, the
community feedback has been tremendous. We couldn’t be more excited
and we look forward to winning the hearts and minds of a new
community in China.”
The new free-to-play experience for Call of Duty – in which
gamers are able to purchase or rent in-game items – delivers an
unprecedented, unique offering for Chinese players, including Hero
Ops single-player campaign missions, Survival Mode cooperative
experiences, best-in-class Call of Duty multiplayer and the newly
created Cyborgs (PVE modes exclusive to the Chinese market in Call
of Duty Online) – all delivered with the trademark Call of Duty
cinematic intensity and fast-paced action, for which the franchise
is known the world over.
Steven Ma, Senior Vice President of Tencent, said, "Since
announcing Call of Duty Online, we have gone through a series of
alpha and closed beta tests, with each test generating incredibly
positive results. Call of Duty Online is a top tier game developed
by an elite team and we are honored to bring this highly
anticipated title to the Chinese players.”
“Over the last few years, we’ve worked closely with Tencent to
tailor Call of Duty Online specifically for the Chinese audience,
while maintaining an authentic Call of Duty experience,” said Brian
Raffel, Studio Head at Raven Software. “We’ve had a unique
opportunity to take the best moments from the entire Call of Duty
franchise – along with all-new unique experiences – and deliver the
ultimate entertainment package for a whole new audience.”
About Tencent
Founded in November, 1998, Tencent has grown into one of China's
largest and most used Internet service portal. Since its
establishment over the last decade, Tencent has maintained steady
growth under its user-oriented operating strategies. On June 16,
2004, Tencent Holdings Limited (SEHK 700) went public on the main
board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
It is Tencent's mission to enhance the quality of human life
through Internet services. Presently, Tencent is providing
value-added Internet, mobile and telecom services and online
advertising under the strategic goal of providing users with
"one-stop online lifestyle services". Tencent’s leading Internet
platforms in China – QQ (QQ Instant Messenger), WeChat, QQ.com, QQ
Games, Qzone, 3g.QQ.com, SoSo, PaiPai and Tenpay – have brought
together China's largest Internet community, to meet the various
needs of Internet users including communication, information,
entertainment, e-commerce and others. As of Dec 31, 2012, the
active QQ users accounts for QQ IM amounted to 798.2 million while
its peak concurrent users reached 176.4 million. The development of
Tencent has profoundly influenced the ways hundreds of millions of
Internet users communicate with one another as well as their
lifestyles. It also brings possibilities of a wider range of
applications to the China’s Internet industry.
About Activision Publishing,
Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision
Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of
interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations
throughout the world. More information about Activision and its
products can be found on the company's website,
www.activision.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press
release that involves Activision Publishing's expectations, plans,
intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements
about Call of Duty Online, are forward-looking statements
that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
Factors that could cause Activision Publishing'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 Activision
Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of
this release, and neither Activision
Publishing 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 Activision
Publishing 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.
ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, MODERN WARFARE AND CALL OF DUTY BLACK
OPS are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other
trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective
owners.
Activision Publishing, Inc.Joshua Selinger,
310-496-5287joshua.selinger@activision.com
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