HANDS-ON DIABLO® III AT BLIZZCON® 2008

Blizzard Entertainment® gaming festival attendees are the first to play the company’s upcoming epic action-role-playing game

IRVINE, Calif. – October 10, 2008 – Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today offered the public the first-ever opportunity to play an early version of its highly anticipated action-role-playing game, Diablo® III. Players at the BlizzCon® 2008 gaming convention in Anaheim, California, adventured alongside fellow attendees, fighting the hordes of the Burning Hells in one of the game’s early dungeons.

“Until now, no one outside the company has been able to play Diablo III -- we’re excited to offer the first such opportunity to the gamers here at BlizzCon,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re working hard to make sure Diablo III lives up to the high standards of the first two games in the series, and we look forward to hearing what players think.”

During the show, Blizzard Entertainment also unveiled the game’s third playable class: the wizard. A wielder of the elements and a master manipulator of time, the wizard can hurl environment-shattering lightning bolts, channel explosive arcane energies, and create pockets of space outside the normal temporal flow. BlizzCon attendees were able to adventure as either the wizard or the previously unveiled barbarian or witch doctor, battling alone or with up to three other players through the catacombs beneath Tristram Cathedral to a final showdown with the Skeleton King.

First announced at the Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational in June 2008, Diablo III picks up twenty years after the events of Diablo II, as a fiery omen from the sky heralds the return of dark forces to the mortal realm. Players will take on the role of one of five champions, collecting powerful spells, abilities, and items as they clash with twisted demons and explore the dark corners of the world of Sanctuary. Diablo III will feature unique random scripted quests, destructible environments, and cooperative and competitive play online through an upgraded version of Blizzard Entertainment’s Battle.net® gaming service.

Blizzard is developing Diablo III for simultaneous release on the Windows® and Macintosh® platforms. For more information, visit the official website at www.blizzard.com/diablo3. With multiple games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has numerous positions currently available. Visit www.blizzard.com/jobs for more information and to learn how to apply.

About the Diablo Series
Launched at the end of 1996, the original Diablo helped popularize the action role-playing-game genre, earning widespread critical and commercial success. The game’s sequel, Diablo II, shipped in 2000 to similar acclaim, winning several Game of the Year awards and at the time becoming the fastest-selling computer game ever. Diablo II’s award-winning expansion set, Diablo II: Lord of Destruction®, debuted in 2001, becoming Blizzard Entertainment’s sixth #1-selling game. To date, the franchise has sold more than 18.5 million copies worldwide.* Diablo’s gothic horror theme has also inspired a number of licensed products, including novels and action figures.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo series, 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 ten #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 users.

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