Call of Duty XP 2011 lighting up L.A. in September

Santa Monica, CA – June 30, 2011 – Call of Duty® gamers, prepare to engage: Activision Publishing, Inc.(Nasdaq: ATVI) takes the franchise’s landmark intensity to new heights with Call of Duty XP 2011, the first-ever celebration for the Call of Duty community.

Total Call of Duty immersion is coming to a secure 12-acre compound in the urban confines of Los Angeles on Labor Day weekend, where more than 6,000 fans will be the first to witness the world premiere of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer. Attendees will be among the first to have the opportunity to get hands-on time with multiplayer and the new Spec Ops survival co-op mode. Also on display for the first time will be the full feature functionality of Call of Duty® Elite, the innovative new online service, built from the ground-up to support Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Supporting this epic reveal is a series of real-world Call of Duty action-experiences and gaming competitions as well as an unprecedented $1 million Call of Duty tournament by Activision and the event’s lead sponsor, Xbox 360. Through Activision’s network of global partners, fans will have the opportunity to qualify for the tournament prior to the event by showcasing their skills in Call of Duty®: Black Ops multiplayer through regional promotions and competitions. For those unable to qualify in advance, there will be select, on-site/at-large qualifications, further expanding the opportunity to compete for cash prizes among some of the best Call of Duty players in the world. For anyone that can’t be on hand, but still wants to keep an eye on the action, fans from around the world can link up for a connected experience by watching a constant stream of high-production value videos that will be available through television and the web, as well as a constant stream of photos and status updates from the event via social media outlets, including Facebook and Twitter.

“From the high production values of our live, immersive events – all the way to the smallest details in every design and activity – we’re pulling out all the stops to make Call of Duty XP the ultimate gathering for the global community of Call of Duty fans,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “The celebration will immerse attendees in a Call of Duty experience unlike anything they’ve ever seen before.  Over the course of two days, gamers can trade Call of Duty war stories, experience the official unveiling of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer and the full feature functionality of Call of Duty Elite, as well as enjoy world-class entertainment and compete head-to-head for some serious cash prizes.”

Tickets for Call of Duty XP will be available for $150. Activision will donate 100% of the ticket sales to The Call of Duty Endowment, a non-profit, public benefit corporation that seeks to help veterans transition to civilian life, find work and establish careers, and assist other organizations that provide career training and job placement for veterans.  

Tickets will go on sale July 19, giving attendees a two-day pass and the chance to be completely immersed in the action and excitement of Call of Duty. Players will be able to challenge each other in a paintball firefight on a life-sized Call of Duty multiplayer map, as well as attempt to speed-run Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s legendary “The Pit”-for real. Other Call of Duty XP activities include:

·         Tournaments and prizes for the hardcore and casual fan alike
·         Discussion panels and Q&A with Call of Duty developers
·         Onsite Call of Duty armory and museum
·         AAA live entertainment
·         More attractions to be announced

“The Call of Duty series continues to set the pace on Xbox 360 with both the best selling game ever on the platform in Call of Duty: Black Ops, and the No. 1 and No. 2 titles on Xbox LIVE with Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2,” said George Peckham, General Manager, Global Publishing Group at Microsoft. “As a further reflection of our valued relationship with the world’s most popular gaming franchise, Xbox 360 is proud to partner with Activision to bring the first ever Call of Duty XP to life and even more, to challenge the community of fans to compete for up to one million dollars.”

Call of Duty XP precedes the year’s most anticipated entertainment launch on November 8th when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 strikes worldwide, as well as the launch of the innovative new onlineservice, Call of Duty Elite, uniting Call of Duty’s 30 million fans to create a connected entertainment community via dedicated social networking, original entertainment programming, events, competitions and more.

For more information about Call of Duty XP 2011, ticket sales or tournament qualifications, please visit www.callofduty.com/xp.