The Horde and the Alliance clash for ultimate control of their world in the next chapter of Blizzard Entertainment’s acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing saga

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Azeroth reels in the wake of the Legion’s devastating assault, and the emergence of a powerful new resource—Azerite, lifeblood of the wounded planet—has brought the Alliance and the Horde to the brink of war. Beginning August 14, World of Warcraft^® players will take up their faction’s cause in the ultimate fight for control of their world with the launch of Battle for Azeroth, the seventh expansion for Blizzard Entertainment’s internationally acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game.

Heroes of both factions can make their own war preparations now by pre-purchasing Battle for Azeroth at www.worldofwarcraft.com/battleforazeroth. In addition to gaining a level-110 character boost to use immediately, players who pre-purchase can begin their journey to recruit the first four of the expansion’s new Allied Races, including the valiant Lightforged draenei on the Alliance and ancient Nightborne on the Horde.^†

“In Battle for Azeroth, the stakes for the Alliance and the Horde are incredibly high, and a player’s faction will have a more meaningful impact on their experience than in any World of Warcraft expansion to date,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Whether they’re journeying to unexplored lands to recruit allies or fighting to secure war resources, players will redefine what it truly means to be ‘For the Horde’ or ‘For the Alliance’ when the expansion arrives this August.”

Battle for Azeroth – Standard, Digital Deluxe, and Collector’s Editions

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth will be available in both a standard edition (physical and digital versions available; SRP $49.99) and Digital Deluxe Edition (SRP $69.99). The latter contains an arsenal of in-game bonuses for a variety of Blizzard games, including the Seabraid Stallion (Alliance) mount, Gilded Ravasaur (Horde) mount, and Tottle the Baby Tortollan pet for World of Warcraft; an “Azeroth Is Burning” card back for Hearthstone^®; a Primal Flamesaber mount in Heroes of the Storm^®; Horde and Alliance sprays for StarCraft^® II; and a collection of faction-themed extras for Overwatch^®.

Battle for Azeroth will also be available in a retail-exclusive Collector’s Edition (SRP $99.99). In addition to the in-game items from the Digital Deluxe Edition, the Collector’s Edition contains an array of loot to fuel players’ faction pride, including:

• Horde & Alliance Double-Sided Mark of Allegiance: Declare your allegiance with this hefty two-sided emblem (stand included). Place it on your desk or shelf and proclaim your chosen faction to the world.
• Hardcover Double-Sided Book: Elegy & A Good War: This limited-edition hardback collects two new World of Warcraft novellas depicting the Burning of Teldrassil from the points of view of the Alliance and the Horde. Each story includes original artwork exclusive to this edition.^†† Written by Christie Golden and Robert Brooks.
• Battle for Azeroth Digital Soundtrack: Each Collector’s Edition contains a key to download the stirring orchestral pieces from the expansion’s soundtrack—the perfect mood music for laying siege to your enemies.

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth Collector’s Edition is available for preorder now. Supplies are limited; players should check with their local retailer for preorder details and availability. For players who have already pre-purchased a digital edition of the expansion and wish to upgrade to the Collector’s Edition at launch, Blizzard will credit their account Blizzard Balance in the amount of their original purchase if they redeem their Collector’s Edition key before December 31, 2018. For additional details, visit www.worldofwarcraft.com.

In addition, starting today, anyone interested in joining the fight with the next expansion can pre-purchase Battle for Azeroth digitally through the Blizzard Shop and receive the current expansion, Legion, for free. This bundle also includes a level-110 character boost, making it a perfect jumping-on point for new and returning players.

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth Features

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth includes new features and content that will put heroes’ fortitude and dedication to their faction to the test. In this expansion, players will be called upon to:

• Explore Two Fabled Kingdoms: As a champion of the Horde, travel to the empire of Zandalar to persuade the trolls to lend their naval might. As a defender of the Alliance, venture to the seafaring kingdom of Kul Tiras, home of Jaina Proudmoore, and rally its inhabitants to fight for your cause.
• Recruit Allied Races: Take a new form for your adventures as several new playable Allied Races, each with unique racial abilities. Earn the favor of the Highmountain tauren, Void elves, Dark Iron dwarves, and others to create a new character of that race and add their strength to your faction.
• Plunder the Islands of the Great Sea: Set out on Island Expeditions and conquer an ever-changing array of enemies, environments, and objectives. Battle in groups of three as you race against cunning rival intruders—or enemy players—to collect each island’s resources and fuel the war effort.
• Charge Into a Warfront: Fight on the battlefields of a large-scale, 20-player cooperative Warfront to claim a key strategic location. Capture resources to build your faction’s forces, lead the charge as your troops lay siege to objectives, and fight the enemy commander to claim victory in this new mode inspired by classic Warcraft real-time strategy–game battles.
• Infuse Your Armor with Titanic Might: Seek out Azerite, an invaluable new resource that has emerged in the Burning Legion’s wake. Imbue the Heart of Azeroth—a legendary neck piece entrusted to each hero by Magni Bronzebeard—with Azerite to customize your armor with new powers and traits.
• Battle to Level 120: Trace the corruption of the Blood God to the Underrot, unearth the secrets of a lost titan vault, escape from the Drust Realm of the Dead, and more as you quest through 10 new levels—then continue to grow in power through new World Quests, raids, dungeons, and more.

To learn more about World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, visit the expansion’s official website at www.worldofwarcraft.com/battleforazeroth.

^†Pre-purchasing World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth makes available quest lines that enable players to access the Highmountain tauren, Lightforged draenei, Nightborne, and Void elves. To unlock Allied Races quest lines, players must have a level-110 character and have met specific questing and reputation requirements on the factions each Allied Race is aligned with. To unlock a Heritage Armor set, players must level an Allied Race character from its starting level of 20 to 110 without boosting, faction- or race-changing, or being granted levels via the Recruit-A-Friend program. Players upgrading from World of Warcraft Starter Edition must wait for trial restrictions to be removed (up to 72 hours) before using character boost.

^††Digital versions of Elegy and A Good War without the exclusive artwork will also be available to read online later this year.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft^®, Hearthstone^®, Overwatch^®, the Warcraft^®, StarCraft^®, and Diablo^® franchises, and the multi-franchise 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-one #1 games* and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online gaming service, Blizzard 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 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 the releases dates, features and functionality of World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, including with respect to its Standard, Digital Deluxe, and Collector’s Editions, 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.