Quantum Break Becomes the Biggest-Selling New Microsoft Studios IP for Xbox One

On April 5, 2016, we were proud to announce that Quantum Break had launched worldwide to critical acclaim. Now, we are excited to share that Quantum Break was the #1 best-selling Xbox game both around the world and in Australia during the week of launch, and is now officially the biggest-selling new Microsoft Studios published IP this generation. In addition, during the first week of launch, Quantum Break was the #1 most played new game on Xbox, worldwide.

When Remedy Entertainment – the legendary creators behind critically acclaimed hits like Max Payne and Alan Wake – approached Microsoft Studios with their vision for Quantum Break, we knew we had something special on our hands. Quantum Break would be a hybrid entertainment experience – one-part hard-hitting video game, one part thrilling live-action show – and embody all the characteristics of a classic Remedy Entertainment game: action-packed gameplay, vivid storytelling, rich characters and dramatic twists. Quantum Break was bold. It was ambitious. It was unprecedented. And we loved it.

The level of excitement we have seen from our fans around the world for Quantum Break has been humbling. We want to thank the community for their support for helping us achieve this international success.

“Making Quantum Break has been a long journey. Creating a new AAA franchise is always a risk and a huge investment, but at Remedy we want to push ourselves, explore new ideas and realize new visions,” said Sam Lake, Creative Director at Remedy Entertainment. “It’s wonderful to see gamers want that too. We’re hugely grateful for the positive reception and glad to see that the story of Jack Joyce and Paul Serene resonates with so many players.”

We take feedback seriously and are aware of the issues that some of our fans playing Quantum Break on Windows 10 are experiencing. We are working diligently with our partners and with Remedy Entertainment to resolve them. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

At Microsoft Studios, we firmly believe in creating new IP. Empowering creators to tell new stories, develop new gameplay experiences and to continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, is key to our vision for the success of Xbox One and Windows 10, and Remedy Entertainment and Quantum Break is just the start.

ReCore, Scalebound and Sea of Thieves are just a few of the new IP we have announced, and combined with other blockbuster exclusives, including Gears of War 4, Crackdown 3, Halo Wars 2and Forza Motorsport: Apex, we have created a stellar line-up that will help us fulfil our promise to fans to make Xbox One and Windows 10 the best place to play games.

WATCH THE WORLD PREMIERE OF STAR FOX ZERO: THE BATTLE BEGINS

The first-ever animated short based on the Star Fox games and characters

19^th April, 2016 – To celebrate the upcoming launch of Star Fox Zero for Wii U on April 23, join Nintendo for the live-streamed world premiere of the Star Fox Zero: The Battle Begins animated short on April 21 at 8am AEST. This special broadcast can be viewed with US English voice-overs all around the world at http://live.nintendo.com/.

Star Fox Zero: The Battle Begins was produced in collaboration with Shigeru Miyamoto, Production I.G and WIT STUDIO, and stars the beloved characters from Star Fox Zero.

Immediately following the animated short there’ll be a special Nintendo Treehouse: Live featuring Star Fox Zero & Star Fox Guard.

Tune in live on Thursday morning for Star Fox Zero: The Battle Begins, the first-ever animated short based on the Star Fox games and characters.
Additional Links:

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

Sydney, Australia—April 19, 2016—The great enemy of Azeroth is back, and soon the kingdoms of the Horde and the Alliance will be consumed in a storm of fel fire. Starting August 30, realms will shatter, heroes will fall, and the world will stand on the brink of destruction with the launch of World of Warcraft^®: Legion™, the sixth expansion for Blizzard Entertainment’s acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game.

Defenders of the Alliance and the Horde can steel themselves for the return of the demonic armies of the Burning Legion by pre-purchasing World of Warcraft: Legion digitally at www.wowlegion.com. Players who pre-purchase will unlock an instant level-100 character boost, as well as early access to the Demon Hunter—Legion’s dexterous and deadly new hero class—prior to the expansion’s release.^†

“Legion opens a dark and thrilling new chapter in one of the Warcraft series’ greatest conflicts, and things will never be the same for some of Azeroth’s most iconic heroes and villains,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “This expansion is loaded with features and content that give players whole new ways to explore the world and customise their heroes. We’re looking forward to sending everyone into battle against the Burning Legion this August.”

In this expansion chronicling the events following Warlords of Draenor, all hellfire breaks loose when the warlock Gul’dan, betrayer of the orcs and twisted servant of the Burning Legion, unleashes a demonic invasion force upon Azeroth unlike any the Horde and the Alliance have ever faced. To save their world from annihilation, heroes must unlock the mysteries of the mythic Broken Isles, master powerful Artifact weapons, and strike a forbidden pact with the Demon Hunters of the Illidari—vengeful disciples of the dreaded Illidan Stormrage.

Pre-purchase Now and Prepare for the Invasion

World of Warcraft: Legion will be available in a Standard Edition (physical and digital versions available; RRP $69.95 AUD). Players also have the option to upgrade their pre-purchase to the Digital Deluxe Edition ($94.95 AUD), which contains a hoard of in-game bonuses for a variety of Blizzard games, including an Illidari Felstalker mount and pet for World of Warcraft, a Felstalker mount for Heroes of the Storm^®, a helm transmog and wings for Diablo^® III, and a pair of fel-infused StarCraft^® II portraits.

Players who pre-purchase either the digital Standard Edition or Digital Deluxe Edition of Legion through www.wowlegion.com will be able to immediately^† boost one character to level 100, allowing them to experience the latest World of Warcraft content alongside their friends.^††

Pre-purchasing Legion will also grant early access to the Demon Hunter prior to the expansion’s release.^† During the pre-launch early-access period, players will be able to complete the Demon Hunter’s unique starting experience on the shattered, Legion-corrupted world of Mardum and achieve level 100, leaving them fully prepared to join their allies on the Broken Isles the moment the expansion launches. Further details on the upcoming Demon Hunter early-access period, including the timing and duration, will be announced at a later date.

World of Warcraft: Legion will also be available in a retail-only Collector’s Edition (RRP $129.95 AUD), which includes the digital bonuses from the Digital Deluxe Edition along with a full-colour hardcover art book, a behind-the-scenes two-disc Blu-ray/DVD set, a CD soundtrack, and a Legion mouse pad. Supplies are limited; players should check with their local retailer for preorder details and availability.

World of Warcraft: Legion Features

World of Warcraft: Legion is filled with features and content that will transform Azeroth’s heroes into Legion-slaying avatars of vengeance, including:

• New Hero Class: Demon Hunter—Unleash the demon within as an all-new melee hero class gifted with preternatural mobility—and the ability to metamorphose into hellish new forms.
• New Feature: Artifact Weapons—Smite the Legion with class-specific weapons of lore. Unlock abilities and traits, and customise your weapon to suit your needs.
• New Continent: The Broken Isles—Discover the fate of a lost night elf civilisation, confront twisted fragments of the Emerald Nightmare, and hunt agents of the Legion in all-new zones. Forge your own path through the Broken Isles as you explore content that dynamically scales to your level.
• Boost to Level 100—Come fully prepared to battle the Legion with a level-100 character boost, and fight alongside your friends in this epic new chapter of World of Warcraft—available immediately upon pre-purchase^†.
• New Feature: Class Hall—Gather with fellow members of your class and unite followers of your order—including iconic characters from Warcraft lore—to carry out missions at your command.
• New PvP Honour System—Fight for fame, glory, and a range of new PvP-specific powers as you face the opposing faction in Arenas and Battlegrounds.

For more information about World of Warcraft: Legion or to sign up for the upcoming beta test, visit www.wowlegion.com. For screenshots, videos, and other media, visit the Blizzard Entertainment press site at http://blizzard.gamespress.com/world-of-warcraft.

With multiple games in development, Blizzard has numerous positions currently available—visit http://jobs.blizzard.com for more information and to learn how to apply.

^†Players upgrading from World of Warcraft Starter Edition must wait for trial restrictions to be removed (up to 72 hours) before using character boost. Demon Hunter early access timing will be announced at a later date. Only one Demon Hunter per realm (per account); requires at least one level-70 character on realm.

^††Corresponding World of Warcraft expansions required.

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 nineteen #1 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.

*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 World of Warcraft: Legion, including with respect to its launch date, features, and gameplay, 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.

ENTER THE VAST AND BEAUTIFUL WORLD OF VALLEY

Toronto, CANADA – April 18, 2016 – Blue Isle Studios is inviting intrepid explorers everywhere to a whole new experience in its upcoming game – Valley, coming Summer 2016 for PC, PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft. Explore the vast and beautiful world of Valley and uncover secrets long since forgotten. Players will utilize the power of the L.E.A.F. Suit, technology that grants players exceptional speed and agility along with the phenomenal ability to manipulate life and death.

Watch the world of Valley as it comes to life in the first reveal gameplay trailer:

Stream the trailer HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1O3DDvKHo0

Steam Store Page HERE: http://store.steampowered.com/app/378610/

“After the success of Slender: The Arrival, we wanted to do something completely unique that offered players an amazing amount of freedom, and Valley is just that,” said Alex Tintor, CEO of Blue Isle Studios. “This is an incredibly exciting project for us – something totally new and distinct, that we expect will intrigue players.”

Valley, in development from Blue Isle Studios, makers of the popular horror game Slender: The Arrival, promises a first-person adventure like none other. Players will pilot the L.E.A.F. exosuit, powering up their physical abilities to new heights. Explore a massive world — dashing through forests, leaping between structures, and wielding control over both life and death.

For more information, please visit www.valleythegame.com, follow @BlueIsleStudio and ‘Like’ the game on Facebook.

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ABOUT BLUE ISLE STUDIOS

Founded in 2010, Blue Isle Studios is an independent video game design company located in the northern village known as Toronto, Canada. A small yet passionate group of artists, designers and programmers, Blue Isle works to build captivating virtual worlds, delivering the best gaming experience possible no matter what the genre.

OCTOPUS TREE ANNOUNCES ZANDER CANNON AS WRITER OF GOLIATH, SMASHING ON TO STEAM MAY 12

Award-Winning Comics Creator Pens Narrative and Dialogue for Upcoming Action-Adventure Title

Eden Prairie, Minnesota – April 18, 2016 – Octopus Tree, a new publisher focused on bringing exceptional indie titles to gamers worldwide, announced today that its premiere action-adventure title, Goliath, features the writing talents of award-winning comics creator Zander Cannon. Cannon worked closely with development team Whalebox Studio to craft the narrative and dialogue in Goliath, an open-world, action-adventure game with crafting and role-playing elements set in a universe where players build and customize massive robots to overcome the challenges they face.

Watch the Goliath coming soon gameplay trailer HERE: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FRopXEYers

Watch the Season Two Kaijumax teaser trailer HERE: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy5ueSzyxR0

Cannon is the celebrated writer and artist behind the recent hit comic book series Kaijumax, published by Oni Press. His other works include the acclaimed graphic novel Heck, which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album – Reprint, and won the Lynd Ward Prize for Best Graphic Novel. Cannon also won two Eisner Awards for his work on Top 10 as part of a creative team that included Gene Ha and comics legend Alan Moore.

Zander Cannon’s many accolades include:

• Two Eisner Awards for Top Ten: Best New Series and Best Continuing Series, 2001
• One Eisner nomination for Heck: Best Graphic Novel of Previously Published Material, 2014
• Harvey Award Nomination for Best New Cartoonist, 1996
• Stumptown Comics Award for Heck: Best Cartoonist, 2014
• Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize Honor Book, Heck, 2014

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with Zander,” said Jeremy Zoss, Marketing Manager for Octopus Tree. “As a fan of his work for many years, I love the mix of gravity and levity in his stories, and he has brought that same unique blend to Goliath. The work he’s done on the game is exactly what we were hoping for, and we’re super pumped to introduce him to a new audience through the game.”

“I am so excited to be working on Goliath,” said Cannon. “I love video games and I’ve always wanted an opportunity to write one. Fortunately, the Whalebox Studio and Octopus Tree teams and I clicked right away, and I’m very happy with what we’ve produced together.”

Goliath puts players in a world where massive monsters roam freely and gamers scavenge for resources and materials to create powerful giant robots called Goliaths. Goliaths can be customized and outfitted with weapons for various situations and battle preferences. Players also can create items and tools for survival, construct shelters and fortresses, and choose which factions to support in the war sweeping across the world.

Goliath Game Features Include:

• Build, Create and Destroy: Construct and customize giant Goliath robots, crafted from the materials found and tools earned along gamers’ journeys to help level the playing field against the world’s colossal beasts.
• Living World: Procedurally generated environments, quests and events, and a living ecosystem with changing weather and day and night cycles ensure that no two games of Goliath will ever be the same.
• Adapt to The Environment: Players must consider how different weather conditions affect various Goliath types while interacting with countless creatures to hunt and fight.
• Boss Battles: Battle gigantic bosses that dwarf one’s own massive mechanized warriors!
• Cooperative Multiplayer: Goliath supports four-player co-op. Each player’s world has unique quests and rewards, and any loot they earn in co-op can be used in single-player mode.
• Play Your Way: Choose one of several factions in a massive war that’s sweeping the land and determine who will come out on top. Players can build a fortified base to take on everyone or take on the role of a roaming nomad.

Goliath is coming to PC on Steam on Thursday, May 12 for $19.99.

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ABOUT OCTOPUS TREE

Established in 2016, Octopus Tree is a video game publisher focused on individualized attention to independent core game development partners. Octopus Tree offers a variety of funding, publishing, development, marketing, quality assurance and sales services to game developers based on the unique needs of their projects. Octopus Tree publishes games for a variety of channels and platforms. Based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Octopus Tree is a subsidiary of Encore Publishing Group. For more information, visit octopustreegames.com.

ABOUT ENCORE PUBLISHING GROUP
Encore Publishing Group offers a wide variety of best-selling print, productivity, home design, entertainment and educational titles through its portfolio of interactive digital brands. Encore Publishing Group brands include Broderbund’s The Print Shop and PrintMaster, Punch! Software, HOYLE and Octopus Tree. Encore Publishing Group develops and publishes software for a variety of platforms and channels, including North American retail and worldwide digital distribution.  Encore Publishing Group also sells direct to consumers through its managed sites: broderbund.com, encore.com, hoylegaming.com, punchsoftware.com and punchcad.com.