ACTIVISION’S CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 4 AVAILABLE NOW IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Most Played Series in Call of Duty Returns with Deepest, Most Engaging Title From Award-Winning Developer Treyarch

Black Ops 4 is here! The most played series in Call of Duty® returns with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 available now, digitally and at global retailers worldwide. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 delivers a game-changing experience with more ways to play together with friends than ever before.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 features three distinct modes of play: Multiplayer, Zombies and Blackout. Multiplayer features gritty, grounded combat in the most tactical, team-based experience in the Black Ops series to date. It features the return of the iconic Pick 10 system, along with a series of innovations in weapon controls, combat flow, health regeneration, and player movement. Black Ops 4 also features a combination of new and returning Specialists, each with their own unique equipment and playstyles, allowing players to not only be powerful alone, but devastating as a team working together.

Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the original Call of Duty Zombies, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 debuts an entirely new Zombies experience that’s the biggest Day One offering in franchise history – with three fully-featured Zombies experiences at launch – IX, Voyage of Despair and Blood of the Dead. With the most customisable action to date, the mode introduces new systems for creating and completing community challenges, and social systems designed to connect players.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 introduces Blackout, an all-new Battle Royale mode that brings together characters, locations, weapons and gear from across the series in all-out survival combat, all with Black Ops signature gameplay. Blackout features land, sea and air vehicles, and offers a variety of new and classic playable characters, including campaign characters like Mason, Reznov and Woods; Zombies characters like Richtofen and Takeo; and Specialists like Crash, Battery and Seraph, to name a few. Across the sprawling Blackout map – the largest in Call of Duty history – players will fight in locations inspired by fan-favourite maps like Nuketown, Firing Range, Raid, Cargo and more.

Launch is just the beginning for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, which will feature a steady stream of post-release content across all modes, and a variety of free content for the entire community through a robust calendar of events, playable first on PlayStation 4.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 comes in the following editions:

• Standard and Digital Standard Edition
• Digital Deluxe Edition
• Pro Edition
• Digital Deluxe Enhanced Edition
• Mystery Box Collector’s Edition

Check local retailers for availability of all Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 editions. Black Ops Pass content is available first on PlayStation®4.

**Black Ops Pass (BOP) content is not final, is subject to change, and may not include all downloadable content available for the game.  BOP content may not be available in all countries, and pricing and release dates may vary by platform. BOP content should be downloaded from the in-game store only; do not purchase separately, or you will be charged again.  BOP content may be sold separately. 

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is published by Activision and developed by Treyarch with additional development support from Raven Software and PC development with Beenox. For the latest intel check out: www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty and follow @CallofDuty and @Treyarch on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is available on PlayStation®4 system, Xbox One, and PC exclusively on Blizzard Battle.net®.  The game is rated MA15+ for Mature (Strong Supernatural Themes and Bloody Violence, Online Interactivity).

About Treyarch
Treyarch is an award-winning video game studio, driven by the desire to create epic gameplay experiences that are enjoyed by as many video game fans as possible. It is an approach that has helped to make the studio behind the Call of Duty®: Black Ops series of games, an industry-leading developer. Call of Duty: Black Ops set an entertainment launch opening record upon its release in 2010 and continues to be one of the best-selling games of all time, according to NPD and GfK Chart-Track; Call of Duty®: Black Ops II set world-wide launch day records; and the studio’s most recent Call of Duty®: Black Ops III held the biggest entertainment opening weekend of 2015, and was the #1 console game globally for the calendar year. Additionally, Treyarch is the birthplace of Call of Duty’s Zombies. Treyarch is wholly owned by Activision.

About Blizzard Entertainment
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 is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.

About Activision
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

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 the expected release dates, features and functionality of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, 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 10K 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, and CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. Major League Gaming is a trademark of Major League Gaming Corp. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark and “PS4” is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

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GOLF, KEYS AND DODGE BALL! NEW GAMES ARRIVE FOR NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM – NINTENDO SWITCH ONLINE

New titles now available for paid Nintendo Switch Online members

11^th October, 2018 – Fans all across Australia and New Zealand have signed up for Nintendo Switch Online to enjoy what the paid service has to offer, including online play in popular multiplayer games, Save Data Cloud backup, a smartphone app for voice chat and other features for supported games, exclusive special offers and the ability to experience classic NES games with added online play. As promised when the first set of 20 NES games was announced, more retro games are coming to Nintendo Switch, available now.

NES^™ Open Tournament Golf, Solomon’s Key and Super Dodge Ball are now available to play anytime and anywhere on Nintendo Entertainment System^™ – Nintendo Switch Online.

• NES Open Tournament Golf – Challenge another player in Stroke, Match and Tournament modes on three fantasy courses in the USA, the UK and Japan. Make sure you keep an eye on the wind and distance to the hole before selecting your club, or else you’ll be racking up some high scores… which is exactly what you don’t want to do in this game.

• Solomon’s Key – As Dana, a skilled and talented hero, you must strategically manoeuvre through over 40 stages using mysterious block-creation skills and other magical powers. Free the captive Fairy in each stage by finding the Bell, and escape by grabbing the Magic Key. Use quick thinking and magical firepower to discover hidden items and evade numerous enemies as you race against the clock.

• Super Dodge Ball – In Super Dodge Ball, you take control of the USA Dodge Ball team and travel the world in an effort to become the best dodge ballers around. Step onto playing fields in countries all over the globe and use a combination of normal and super shots to help take down your opponents. But be careful, as some destinations have surfaces that can affect your footing.

In addition to these NES games, Nintendo Switch Online users will also notice the arrival of special save data for The Legend of Zelda. Now, players can choose to start their adventure with a stack of rupees and items, including the White Sword, Magical Shield, Blue Ring and Power Bracelet. Special save data for other NES titles will become available in the future, offering fun new entry points into fan-favourite games.

As previously announced, new additions to the NES – Nintendo Switch Online library in November will include Metroid, Mighty Bomb Jack and TwinBee, while December will see the release of ADVENTURES OF LOLO, Ninja Gaiden and Wario’s Woods.

For more information about Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online, visit https://www.nintendo.com.au/switch-online.

 
Additional Links:
Nintendo Switch website: http://www.nintendo.com.au/nintendo-switch/
Nintendo Australia website: http://www.nintendo.com.au/
Nintendo Australia Twitter: https://twitter.com/NintendoAUNZ
Nintendo Australia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NintendoAUNZ
Nintendo AU on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nintendoau

UBISOFT’S ASSASSIN’S CREED^® ODYSSEY’S POSITIVE RECEPTION DRIVES STRONG FIRST WEEK SALES

Critically Acclaimed as “The Best the Series Has Ever Been¹,” Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Tops Franchise’s Sales Records for Current Console Generation

Sydney, Australia — October 11, 2018 — Today, Ubisoft^® announced strong early sales for Assassin’s Creed^® Odyssey, one of the highest rated games this season². Building on favourable review scores and early player response, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is having the franchise’s best launch-week performance of this console generation³.

“We are incredibly proud of what the team accomplished with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and humbled by the amazing reception from critics and players. Based on the quality of the game and the very encouraging reactions from players, we expect Odyssey to be one of the top performing Assassin’s Creed games of all-time,” said Geoffroy Sardin, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Launch is just the start of this epic journey. We have robust content plans for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey that will keep players engaged and exploring the game’s beautiful and compelling world for a long time to come.”

Developed by Ubisoft Quebec in association with eight other Ubisoft studios, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey takes players on a heroic voyage through Ancient Greece amidst one of the deadliest conflicts in history, the Peloponnesian War. In a first for the franchise, players choose their hero, either Alexios or Kassandra, outcast Spartan mercenaries who will explore a beautiful living, systemic open world, where they will uncover the truth about their mysterious pasts and become legendary Greek heroes. The launch of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is just the beginning; the live roadmap plan is the biggest and most ambitious in the franchise, deepening storytelling through its episodic structure. Season Pass owners will access two major storylines, Legacy of the First Blade and The Fate of Atlantis, with three episodes each and all players will receive the free story missions, The Lost Tales of Greece, along with recurring in-game events and access to Discovery Tour.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is available on the PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices and Windows PC. In addition, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey has been enhanced with additional features for both PS4 Pro and Xbox One X platforms.

For more information on Assassin’s Creed, please visit: https://assassinscreed.ubisoft.com. For the latest on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and all of Ubisoft’s games, visit Ubisoft News: https://news.ubisoft.com.

ABOUT UBISOFT

Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, For Honor, Just Dance, Watch_Dogs & Tom Clancy’s video game series, including Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six and The Division. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2017-18 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,732 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com

© 2018 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered trademarks in the US and/or other countries.

WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND EPIC GAMES PARTNER TO DISTRIBUTE FORTNITE: DEEP FREEZE BUNDLE

The Worldwide Phenomenon Fortnite Will Be Available this November 2018

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Epic Games announced Fortnite: Deep Freeze Bundle, a special retail version for the wildly popular action building game, Fortnite Battle Royale. Through the worldwide retail distribution partnership, Fortnite: Deep Freeze Bundle will be available for Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®4 Pro, and the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X beginning Nov. 14, 2018 with a RRP $44.95. Players can also purchase and download the Fortnite: Deep Freeze Bundle digitally through the in-game store and first-party digital marketplaces.

The Fortnite: Deep Freeze Bundle will include the Fortnite Battle Royale game, and premium content, including the Frostbite Outfit, Cold Front Glider, Chill-Axe Pickaxe, Freezing Point Back Bling, and 1,000 V-Bucks, which can be used to purchase in-game items, such as outfits and the Premium Battle Pass. In Fortnite Battle Royale, players squad up and compete to be the last one standing in 100-player PvP, where they’ll build cover, battle opponents, and survive the longest to earn their victory.

To learn more about Fortnite Battle Royale, please visit https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite.

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About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc.,  is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all platforms, including console, handheld, mobile and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.

About Epic Games
Founded in 1991, Epic Games is the creator of Fortnite, Unreal, Gears of War, Shadow Complex, and the Infinity Blade series of games. Epic’s Unreal Engine technology brings high-fidelity, interactive experiences to PC, console, mobile, AR, VR and the Web. Unreal Engine is freely available at unrealengine.com. For more information on the studio, visit epicgames.com and check out @EpicGames.

2K and Firaxis Games  have announced that XCOM® 2: War of the Chosen – Tactical Legacy Pack, is available now on PC. As a gift to the fans, the XCOM 2: War of the Chosen – Tactical Legacy Pack is available for free to all PC owners of XCOM 2: War of the Chosen until December 3.

The XCOM 2: War of the Chosen – Tactical Legacy Pack tells the story of what happened between the events of XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2, and includes new game modes, maps, weapons, armour, and Photobooth options that honour the legacy of the XCOM series.

• NEW GAMEPLAY MODES:
  • Legacy Ops – Command a squad of soldiers through a series of linked consecutive tactical missions:
• Central’s Archives – Central Officer Bradford, and other key members of XCOM, recount the pivotal operations that led to the rise of the resistance between the events of XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2:
• Blast from the Past – After the fall of XCOM HQ, Central Officer Bradford begins his journey to build the resistance by returning to where it all began.
• It Came from the Sea – The broadcast of a fledgling radio DJ is reaching an audience he didn’t intend. It’s up to Central to save the DJ from an endless horde of hungry listeners.
• Avenger Assemble – Join Lily Shen as she works to retrofit the Avenger into a new home for the growing forces of a reinvigorated XCOM.
• The Lazarus Project – ADVENT is kidnapping key members of the resistance, and it’s up to Central to rescue some of XCOM’s most renowned operatives.
• Resistance Archives – Engage enemy forces in series of tactical missions increasing in difficulty.
• • Skirmish Mode – Create and play your own custom XCOM tactical missions using the included editor that allows you to modify various settings (map, squad loadouts, objective, enemies, and more.)

• NEW MAPS: Engage in battle across 28 new maps including remastered maps and scenes from XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM: Enemy Within. These new maps will be featured in Central’s Archives.
• NEW WEAPONS AND ARMOR: Equip your soldiers with reimagined versions of the conventional, laser, and plasma weapons, as well as Kevlar, Carapace, and Titan armour from XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Complete Central’s Archives to unlock these new additions for use in the main single player campaign.
• NEW CUSTOMIZATION AND PHOTOBOOTH OPTIONS: Customize your soldiers with new attitudes and helmets. Create new images in the Photobooth with additional backgrounds, colours, and character poses.
• NEW SOUNDTRACK OPTIONS: With the new Soundtrack Selector you can choose to play the XCOM 2: War of the Chosen campaign with the existing score, the score from XCOM: Enemy Unknown, or an all-new soundtrack inspired by the music from the original X-COM: UFO Defense.
• OFFLINE CHALLENGE MODE: Play through all 100+ War of the Chosen challenges as often as you want.

The XCOM 2: War of the Chosen – Tactical Legacy Pack will be available for free to all current owners of XCOM 2: War of the Chosen and those who purchase XCOM 2: War of the Chosen until December 3.

The XCOM 2: War of the Chosen – Tactical Legacy Pack is now available now for Windows PC, and coming soon to macOS, and Linux.

Be sure to follow XCOM on Twitter and Like XCOM on Facebook to keep up to date with the latest information on XCOM 2.

GET A WORKOUT AT HOME OR ON THE GO WHEN FITNESS BOXING COMES TO NINTENDO SWITCH ON 4^th JANUARY 2019

You can learn boxing moves as you participate in boxing-based workouts while bopping along to instrumental versions of some popular music hits.

10^th October, 2018 – It’s time to get off the couch and get moving! In the Fitness Boxing game, a Nintendo Switch exclusive launching at retail and Nintendo eShop on 4^th January 2019, you can learn boxing moves as you participate in boxing-based workouts while bopping along to instrumental versions of some popular music hits.

While gripping the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers, you will be punching, weaving and squatting using the built-in motion controls to get your whole body moving – no need for additional gym equipment!

Daily training in Fitness Boxing ranges from 10-40 minutes and offers both low- and high-intensity options. After selecting from a diverse group of trainers, you can customize their looks with unlockable trainer outfits. The game can estimate your calories burnt based on the approximate body mass index (BMI). As you continue on your fitness journey, you can earn more songs and will also have the opportunity to engage with more challenging training circuits.

Plus, with two-player mode, you can team up with a friend or family member to play in tandem or face off in a virtual boxing ring using one Joy-Con each.

Because of the portable power of the Nintendo Switch system, Fitness Boxing can be played at home in TV Mode or on the go using Tabletop mode.

It’s time to get off the couch and get moving in the Fitness Boxing game, a Nintendo Switch exclusive launching at retail and Nintendo eShop on 4^th January 2019.

Additional Links:
Nintendo Switch website: http://www.nintendo.com.au/nintendo-switch/
Nintendo Australia website: http://www.nintendo.com.au/
Nintendo Australia Twitter: https://twitter.com/NintendoAUNZ
Nintendo Australia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NintendoAUNZ
Nintendo AU on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nintendoau