SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), is set to kick-off this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 Expo) with a blockbuster lineup featuring the #1 and #3 videogame franchises of 2013 in the U.S., including toys and accessories,according to the NPD Group1, and what could be the biggest new videogame IP of the year. Starting Tuesday, June 10, at the LA Convention Center, the company will debut a new era for the Call of Duty® franchise with Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare, while showcasing the newest innovative title from the popular Skylanders® brand with Skylanders Trap Team™, and the highly anticipated Destiny®. Both Skylandersand Destiny will be playable on the show floor.
“This year’s E3 has been years in the making for us,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc. “Each game we are showcasing is the result of our commitment to quality and innovation: our first 3-year development and our first new lead developer on the Call of Duty franchise in a decade with Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. Our biggest innovation since we invented the Toys-to-Life category with Skylanders Trap Team. And the result of over four years of passion, partnership and investment to bring Bungie’s vision for Destiny to life. I think this is the best slate in Activision’s history and I can’t wait for gamers to get a closer look.”
Activision’s E3 Slate Includes:
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Developed by Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare delivers gamers an immersive and compelling narrative, jaw-dropping visuals and, for the first time in Call of Duty, exoskeleton gameplay that will redefine how people play the game. Players become the advanced soldier enabled with the power of the exoskeleton, an advanced arsenal of never-before-seen weaponry, new abilities and new gameplay mechanics. The first Call of Duty to benefit from a three-year development cycle, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is built specifically for the next generation consoles. The game takes place in a future setting that immerses players into an emotional journey with a new cast of characters poised to set a new bar for the franchise. The title is scheduled for release on November 4 for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC; not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information, visit: www.callofduty.com, www.facebook.com/callofduty, www.youtube.com/callofduty or follow @CallofDuty on Twitter and Instagram.
Destiny – From Bungie, the creators of Halo®, and Activision, the company that brought you Call of Duty, comes Destiny, an epic, action-packed adventure set in a familiar but mysterious universe. Destiny delivers a new way to play first-person action games in a story-driven universe filled with single player, cooperative, competitive, public, and social activities, all seamlessly connected and a vast, persistent universe, creating the world’s first “Shared World Shooter.” In Destiny, gamers become Guardians of the last city on Earth, able to wield incredible powers and explore the far reaches of our solar system. The game will be available on September 9 for the PlayStation®4 system, PlayStation®3 system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft and Xbox 360. For more information, visit www.DestinyTheGame.com. For exclusive updates, follow the official Destiny social channels at www.facebook.com/DestinyTheGame and @DestinyTheGame on Twitter, and interact directly with the developers at www.Bungie.net.
Skylanders Trap Team – Developer Toys for Bob, creators of the Toys-to-Life™ phenomenon, return with another exciting innovation with Skylanders Trap Team. The newest installment to the Skylanders franchise will reverse the magic of bringing toys-to-life, letting kids take characters out of the digital world and bring them into the physical world. In Skylanders Trap Team, Portal Masters seek out and defeat the most wanted villains in all of Skylands, pulling them out of the game and into living rooms by capturing them in Traps. Players can then send villains back into the game where they play as them to fight for good. Skylanders Trap Team will include the Traptanium Portal™, a new ring of magical energy that enables kids to not only bring their Skylanders to life, but also capture villains using the new Traps. Skylanders Trap Team introduces new heroes known as Trap Masters and will be available on October 5 in North America for Xbox One and Xbox 360 games and entertainment systems from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 system, PlayStation®3 system, Nintendo’s Wii™ system and Nintendo’s Wii U™ system. A completely unique adventure will be available on the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system.