PILOT A ROBOBOT ARMOUR AND SAVE PLANET POPSTAR FROM A ROBOTIC ARMY IN KIRBY: PLANET ROBOBOT, COMING TO NINTENDO 3DS ON JUNE 11

Kirby: Planet Robobot – amiibo Bundle to come with a new Kirby Collection amiibo

15^th April 2016 – Planet Popstar is being invaded by the Haltmann Works Company and its robotic army, and only Kirby can put a stop to their machinations in Kirby: Planet Robobot, releasing exclusively for Nintendo 3DS family systems in Australia and New Zealand on June 11. Enemies better beware, as not only has Kirby got a range of both new and returning Copy Abilities, but the Robobot Armour that Kirby can pilot can make use of Scan Specs too!

In Kirby’s latest platforming adventure, Kirby can now explore Planet Popstar in brand new ways, as he can move scenery, access new areas, and uncover secrets by using the Robobot Armour’s handy Wrench. That’s not all it can do either, as by scanning enemies, it can unleash more powerful versions of some of Kirby’s well-known Copy Abilities, some of which change the platforming action in brand new ways. By analysing an enemy with the “Jet” Scan Spec, Kirby’s Robobot Armour will engage Jet Mode, causing it to fly across the screen in shoot-‘em-up style, while the “Wheel” Scan Spec activates Wheel Mode, turning Kirby’s Robobot Armour into a car that races between the foreground and background.

Kirby himself also has a few new Copy Abilities which bear more than a passing resemblance to his competitors in the Super Smash Bros. series. Swallowing certain enemies will allow Kirby to unleash the power of his mind with the “ESP” ability, or throw pills and attack with a clipboard as “Doctor” Kirby. By scanning in the Kirby amiibo from the Super Smash Bros. Collection* our pink hero can also become “Smash Bros.” Kirby for the first time since Kirby and the Amazing Mirror. With this newly updated Copy Ability, Kirby can unleash the powers that make him such a formidable fighter, like the Hammer Swing, Final Cutter, and the Stone attack, as well as the ability to shield from enemy attacks..

Other Copy Abilities can also be awarded via any currently available amiibo, often bestowing Kirby with an ability based on the character that was tapped. Become “Fire” Kirby with any Mario amiibo, let loose with the Parasol by scanning Princess Peach, send Sparks flying with Robin, or show off your swordplay with one of the other Fire Emblem character amiibo.

Releasing alongside Kirby: Planet Robobot will be the Kirby Collection amiibo, consisting of Kirby, King Dedede, Waddle Dee and the mysterious Meta Knight. Tapping the latter three amiibo will grant Kirby a unique ability and a change of costume based on the character scanned, while the new Kirby amiibo will give our hero the UFO ability, allowing him to float in the air indefinitely and unleash powerful Heat Beams on unsuspecting foes. Fans eager to get their hands on this ability can also choose the Kirby: Planet Robobot – amiibo Bundle, which includes a copy of the game and a Kirby Collection amiibo of Kirby.

The Kirby Collection amiibo will also give Kirby a collectible sticker that can be used to customise the Robobot Armour. Additional stickers can be found by exploring each stage, or received via StreetPass from other players with a copy of the game By searching each level, Kirby can also find hidden Code Cubes, which will unlock additional stages after a certain amount are collected in each area.

But there is more! One new mode is Kirby 3D Rumble, a single-player isometric action-puzzler which tasks our hero with sucking up objects or enemies and eliminating all foes in as few moves as possible. By sucking up multiple enemies at once, Kirby can then unleash a powerful Star Bullet that will plough through any remaining foes caught in its blast and maximise his score.

Another new mode comes in the form of Team Kirby Clash, an action game with RPG elements which allows players to play with CPU-controlled team-mates, or join up with up to three other players via local multiplayer or Download Play** to take down a more powerful enemy as soon as possible. Kirby can choose between four classes based off of traditional RPGs, like the Sword Hero, Hammer Lord, Doctor Healmore, and the Beam Mage. After each battle, each Kirby will gain experience and has the potential to level up, improving stats that will aid in subsequent battles. During battles, enemies also have the chance to drop four pieces of a magical tablet, which when gathered together will allow players to unleash special co-operative attacks.

It’s the rise of the Robobots when Kirby: Planet Robobot unleashes robotic fury on Nintendo 3DS family systems as it launches in Australia and New Zealand on June 11. The game will also launch as an amiibo Bundle on the same date alongside the Kirby Collection amiibo.

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

ACTIVISION PUBLISHING, INC. AND SONY PICTURES CONSUMER PRODUCTS ANNOUNCE NEW GHOSTBUSTERS VIDEO GAMES COMING THIS WINTER

Play Co-op With Friends in a New Action Game Coming to Consoles and PC

Build a Ghostbusting Team for Asynchronous Co-op on Select iOS, Android and Kindle Devices

SYDNEY, Australia – April 15, 2016 – Activision Publishing, Inc., in collaboration with Sony Pictures Consumer Products, has announced a pair of new Ghostbusters video games set in and inspired by the comedic action world of the upcoming Ghostbusters film, in cinemas July 14. Taking place after the events of the new movie, both Ghostbusters games introduce new casts of rookies keeping watch over the station while the now-famous Ghostbusters tour the country stopping high-profile poltergeists. When paranormal phenomena unleash apparitions across New York City, these new squads of recruits must don their proton packs and wrestle those rogue spirits back to the afterlife!

The console game, Ghostbusters, is a third-person action role-playing game positively charged for thrilling couch co-op with up to four players locally. As rookie Ghostbusters, players can level up their characters’ gear and abilities by tackling objectives, defeating ghastly creatures and discovering hidden collectibles in Manhattan’s most haunted haunts. There are four heroes to choose from, and each has his or her own unique personality and play style, bringing special strengths to support the team.

Ghostbusters is expected to arrive on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC via Steam on 15^th July in Australia.

The mobile game, Ghostbusters: Slime City, lets players be a Ghostbuster and save New York City from a new wave of threats. Team up with other players in asynchronous co-op, and collect powerful ghosts to rise to the top of the leaderboards. Players can also craft their own proton packs from any number of combinations of components, as well as upgrade their own headquarters and complete jobs around the city for new weapons and rewards.

Ghostbusters: Slime City is expected to launch in July on select iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices via the App Store, select Android devices via Google Play and select Kindle devices through the Amazon Appstore.

Trailer viewable here.

About Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters makes its long-awaited return, rebooted with a cast of hilarious new characters. Thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm, director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today – Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth. This winter, they’re here to save the world! The film is produced by Ivan Reitman and Amy Pascal, and written by Katie Dippold & Paul Feig, based on the film Ghostbusters, written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman. The film will be released in theatres nationwide on July 14, 2016.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com, or by following @Activision.

About Sony Pictures Consumer Products 

Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP) is the licensing and merchandising division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

©2016 Activision Publishing, Inc.  All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

SKYLANDERS BRINGS MOBILE CARD BATTLING TO LIFE  IN AN ALL-NEW WAY STARTING TODAY WITH SKYLANDERS BATTLECAST

Skylanders Battlecast Lets Fans and Card Collection Enthusiasts Alike Try their Hand at Mastering Strategic Card Combinations to Achieve Legendary Status!

Sydney, Australia. – April 15, 2016 – Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), is ushering in a new way for Skylanders® fans and card collection enthusiasts to play with the launch of Skylanders® Battlecast. Based on Activision’s award-winning Skylanders franchise, Skylanders Battlecast is a new, free-to-play mobile card game where players build their ultimate deck of cards, master strategic card combinations and use them in never before seen battles! Starting today, players in Australia and New Zealand can head to retail stores to purchase physical card packs to begin their epic journey to become a champion of Skylands. Skylanders Battlecast will be available later this autumn in North America and Europe.

In Skylanders Battlecast, players simply download the game from their mobile app store and can begin their quest to become the ultimate Battlecaster. Fans have the option of battling in single player campaign mode to defeat Kaos and save Skylands from his legion of evil or jumping into player vs. player (PvP) combat to truly test their skills against other players from around the globe.

To enhance gameplay, players can purchase Booster Packs and Battle Packs from local retailers or digitally from the game. The special card packs bring Skylanders Battlecast cards to life in a magical way as players scan their physical cards with their mobile devices to watch cards spring to life through best-in-class augmented reality. Amplifying the experience, the game also allows players to add cards to an in-game digital spell book. By collecting more cards, players will have more pieces to customize their deck for battle!  “We expect Skylanders Battlecast to excite mobile card game players by offering not only a collectible experience but also augmented reality, PvP and an exciting single-player campaign,” says Josh Taub, senior vice president, product management, Activision Publishing. “This is another example of how we are innovating the Skylanders franchise and providing a variety of fun new ways for fans to explore the brand.”

Activision assembled a team of experts across video game design, physical card game design, pro card players and top card artists to develop Skylanders Battlecast. Unlike traditional trading card and mobile battle games, Skylanders Battlecast offer fans impressive graphical fidelity in the form of a 3D-rendered gameplay experience that is incredibly fun and highly strategic.  Players can collect more than 300 Character, Spell, Gear and Relic cards, including foil variants, to fight their way through more than 60 missions across eight elemental islands. The more challenges completed within each mission, the more rewards are earned.

Skylanders Battlecast will be available via the App Store, Google Play and the Amazon Appstore. Skylanders Battlecast Battle packs featuring 22 cards will be available at all major retailers for the suggested retail price of $14.95 AUD/ $16.95 NZD and the Skylanders Booster pack, which will include a random selection of eight cards, will retail for the suggested price of $6.95 AUD/ $7.95 NZD.

About the Skylanders^® Franchise

The award-winning, $3 billion Skylanders franchise has sold through more than 250 million toys¹ since pioneering the toys-to-life category in 2011 with the debut of Skylanders® Spyro’s Adventure. The game originated a play pattern that seamlessly bridged physical and virtual worlds across multiple platforms. In 2012, Skylanders® Giants further evolved the genre and added LightCore^® characters to the collection of interaction figures.  Skylanders® SWAP Force^™, which launched in 2013, introduced an all new play pattern – swapability. In 2014, Skylanders^® Trap Team reversed the magic of bringing toys to life by allowing players to pull characters out of the digital world into the physical world and became the number 1 kids’ console game globally². Skylanders® SuperChargers launched on September 20, 2015 and expands upon the franchise’s signature gameplay to introduce vehicles-to-life for the first time.

About Activision Publishing

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

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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 of Skylanders Battlecast 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 10-K 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.

© 2016 Activision Publishing, Inc., SKYLANDERS, SKYLANDERS BATTLECAST, SKYLANDERS SUPERCHARGERS, SKYLANDERS TRAP TEAM, SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE, SWAP FORCE, SKYLANDERS GIANTS, SKYLANDERS SPYRO’S ADVENTURE and ACTIVISION are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.

¹The NPD Group, GfK Chart-Track, Activision Blizzard internal estimates, including toys and accessories

²According to The NPD Group, GfK Chart-Track and Activision Blizzard internal estimates, including toys and accessories.

TAKE ON THE GREATEST HUNT YET WHEN MONSTER HUNTER GENERATIONS LAUNCHES WINTER 2016

New trailer showcases varied Hunter Styles, an all-new gameplay dynamic for the popular action RPG series on Nintendo 3DS

15^th April, 2016 – Monster Hunter fans eagerly anticipating the release of Capcom®’s Monster Hunter Generations™ on Nintendo 3DS family systems can look forward to the deepest, most customisable experience yet when the game launches in Australia and New Zealand this winter. New gameplay mechanics such as the individualised Hunter Styles and stunning Hunter Arts join the all-new Prowler mode for the newest instalment in a series which has already sold more than 36 million units worldwide.

For the first time in Monster Hunter history, players will be able to change up how they play with Hunter Styles and equip unique special abilities called Hunter Arts. With Hunter Styles players can now tailor their chosen hunter to how they want to play by selecting from four very different styles. Whether it’s focusing on mounting monsters by selecting Aerial Style, or maximising the Hunter Arts abilities that can be equipped with the Striker Style, there’s a way of play to suit every player. Each Hunter Style possesses unique movements and attacks only available to that particular style, encouraging players to experiment and find the perfect fit for how they want to play with each of the game’s 14 weapon types. A closer look at these unique playing styles in action can be found in the brand new Hunter Styles trailer* premiering today.

Hunter Arts are spectacular special moves which can provide a powerful offensive flurry, a quick escape from attack, or even a helpful healing boost for a hunter and their teammates. Unleashing a Hunter Art at the right time can often make the difference in tight battles against powerful monsters.  Only a limited number of Hunter Arts can be equipped however, so players will need to carefully strategise as to what suits their style of play best.

As well as mastering the new additions to playing as a Hunter, players can take on quests as a Felyne in the new Prowler mode. These loyal, furry companions now get to take a starring role as they can be directly controlled by players and set out on any of the game’s quests in single or multiplayer game modes, plus a selection of unique quests especially designed for them. Players can switch into Prowler mode quickly and easily from their house, can take two Palico supports with them on quests, or even join other hunters in local and online co-op modes.

Prowlers benefit from boundless energy, meaning they have no need for a Well Done Steak to replenish their stamina gauge. By already carrying their own supply of health-replenishing Acorns, Prowlers can restore their health with a quick bite and don’t need to carry potions like Hunters. Resource-gathering such as bug-catching, fishing and mining is also simpler than ever when playing as a Prowler, allowing advanced players to channel more time into hunting quests or forging and upgrading the hundreds of weapons and armour available to them. With their streamlined gameplay mechanics, general ease of use and the ability to participate in any of the game’s single or multiplayer quests, Prowlers are a perfect introduction for newcomers and the ideal tonic for battle-hardened hunters seeking something a little different.

As well as these new additions, Monster Hunter Generations also features:

• A roster of new, challenging monsters including the Fated Four, an elite group of powerful monsters posing a major threat to each of the game’s four villages, plus some returning favourites.
• Special Deviant Monsters such as the Deadqueen Rathian and Grimclaw Tigrex return with new traits and abilities to challenge the most seasoned of hunters.
• 21 different hunting locations which are a blend of both new and enhanced fan-favourites; including some never before seen in the west.
• Collaboration content including special themed collaboration costumes and weapons for Hunters and Prowlers, based on popular series such as Fire Emblem and more.
• Local and online co-op modes for up to four players to team up and hunt together as Hunters and Prowlers.
• Collect tickets via StreetPass to access special Deviant monster quests. Players can also send and receive customisable Guild Cards via StreetPass.
• Players with Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate save data on their Nintendo 3DS system will receive a bonus item pack that includes an exclusive Palico amour set, potions, in-game money and more, when they play Monster Hunter Generations on the same system.
• Nintendo 3DS touch screen functionality allows immediate access to in-game maps and toggling the target lock on large monsters. New Nintendo 3DS owners will also benefit from C-stick functionality and mappable controls for Hunters Arts on the ZL and ZR buttons.

For the latest updates on Monster Hunter Generations, fans should keep their eyes on the official Monster Hunter Twitter account: @MonsterHunter.

With a range of new and updated features adding a new twist to the traditional Monster Hunter gameplay, Monster Hunter Generations provides new challenges for even the most experienced of hunters. 

* Monster Hunter Generations classified ‘M’ – Fantasy violence, online interactivity

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