Press Release
COLOGNE, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 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
toBlizzard 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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