Some achievements will carry rewards such as tabards, pets, and other prizes, and Blizzard promises more with each new content update. Players will be able to compare their achievements with others both in-game and via the Armory.

My girlfriend just got her first character to 70 this week, and asked me what she could do now. If she can be patient it looks like Blizzard has an answer forthcoming.

Wrath of the Lich King Achievements [World of Warcraft]

Activision Blizzard to suffer job cuts [MCV]

Kotick also said he was looking forward to the possibilities ahead now that the combination with Vivendi is finalized.

Full announcement after the jump.

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jul 14, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVID) today announced that Activision's stand-alone preliminary financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2009, which ended on June 30, 2008, prior to the closing of the transaction with Vivendi, on July 9, 2008, were higher than Activision's previously provided first quarter outlook.

For the fiscal first quarter, Activision expects record net revenues of approximately $650 million and earnings per diluted share between $0.16 and $0.18, an increase from Activision's prior outlook of $500 million in net revenues and earnings per diluted share of $0.04 on a stand-alone basis.

Excluding the expected impact of expenses related to equity-based compensation of $0.02 per diluted share and expected one-time costs of $0.03 per diluted share related to the business combination between Activision and Vivendi Games, Activision's stand-alone non-GAAP earnings per diluted share are expected to be between $0.21 and $0.23 per diluted share, as compared to Activision's prior non-GAAP outlook of $0.13 per diluted share which had excluded $0.02 per share for expenses related to equity-based compensation and $0.07 per share for one-time costs related to the business combination between Activision and Vivendi Games.

Activision's performance was driven by the North American launch of Kung Fu Panda early in the quarter, which was the largest launch of a DreamWorks Animation licensed property by Activision. Late in the quarter, Activision had two record setting North American launches from the Guitar Hero franchise - Guitar Hero: On Tour, which was the largest North American launch for the Nintendo DS(TM) in Activision's history and Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, which ranked as one of Activision's top-five North American multiplatform launches.

"Activision's first quarter stand-alone net revenues and earnings were the highest ever for a non-holiday quarter," stated Robert Kotick, President and CEO of Activision Blizzard, Inc. "Our significant overperformance in Q1 would have further added to our previously given stand-alone fiscal 2009 net revenues and earnings outlook, making it by far the largest and most profitable year in Activision's history. As we have recently closed our transaction with Vivendi Games, we will be providing an outlook for Activision Blizzard as a combined company moving forward."

Kotick continued, "We are extremely excited about the additional possibilities created by the completion of our combination with Vivendi Games last week and remain very optimistic about the long-term opportunities. Both Activision and Blizzard Entertainment's businesses have maintained their momentum and Activision Blizzard is well positioned to exceed the financial goals set for the combined company."

This is usually a move companies make when their value is high relative to other companies in its sector — halving the share price means more investors may be willing to buy in, while existing investors won't have the value they hold diluted by the increased number of shares.

"This action reflects our strong financial position and our confidence in the opportunities for further growth," said Bobby Kotick, president and CEO of Activision Blizzard. "We believe the stock split will lead to wider ownership by making our stock accessible to a broader base of investors."

Full announcement after the jump.

Activision Blizzard Announces Two-for-One Stock Split
Split to Take Effect Post Tender Offer of Activision Blizzard

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jul 11, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today that its Board of Directors approved a two-for-one stock split of its outstanding shares of common stock to be effected in the form of a common stock dividend.

Stockholders will receive one additional share for each share of common stock held on the record date. The company expects that the record date for the stock split will be a date shortly after the closing of the company's previously announced self tender offer. Additional information regarding the stock split, including announcement of the record date, will be provided by the company following completion of the tender offer.

"This action reflects our strong financial position and our confidence in the opportunities for further growth," said Robert Kotick, President and CEO of Activision Blizzard. "We believe the stock split will lead to wider ownership by making our stock accessible to a broader base of investors."

About Activision Blizzard

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Blizzard, Inc. is a worldwide pure-play online and console game publisher with leading market positions across all categories of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry.

Activision Blizzard maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Romania, Australia, Chile, India, Japan, China, the region of Taiwan and South Korea. More information about Activision Blizzard and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activisionblizzard.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Blizzard's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Blizzard generally uses words such as "outlook", "will," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes", "may", "expects," "intends," and similar expressions. Factors that could cause Activision Blizzard's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales of Activision Blizzard's titles in its fiscal year 2009, shifts in consumer spending trends, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Blizzard's ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms (including next-generation hardware), declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Blizzard's products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware and related software, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Activision Blizzard, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, vendors and third-party developers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, Activision Blizzard's success in integrating the operations of Activision and Vivendi Games in a timely manner, or at all, and the combined company's ability to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies of the transaction to the extent, or in the timeframe, anticipated. Other such factors include the further implementation, acceptance and effectiveness of the remedial measures recommended or adopted by the special sub-committee of independent directors established in July 2006 to review the company's historical stock option granting practices, the finalization of the tentative settlement of the SEC's formal investigation and final court approval of the proposed settlement of the derivative litigation filed in July 2006 against certain current and former directors and officers of Activision Blizzard relating to Activision Blizzard's stock option granting practices, and the possibility that additional claims and proceedings will be commenced, including additional action by the SEC and/or other regulatory agencies, and other litigation unrelated to stock option granting practices and any additional risk factors identified in Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and the definitive proxy statement filed on June 6, 2008 in connection with the Vivendi transaction. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and Activision Blizzard assumes no 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 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.

We talked about the opportunity to buy Blizzard and they were adamant that they loved the [videogame] business and were committed to it. They didn't want to sell the business but would entertain other ideas. They were struggling on the console side and needed to diversify into other parts of the business and recognized how difficult that would be independently, which is how we ultimately settled on this structure.

Ah, the structure where Blizzard execs get fat new paychecks while Activision gets a piece of WoW's cash flow? Everybody wins!

Activision tried to buy Blizzard before merging with Vivendi Games [Variety]

Activision to launch rival to iTunes [Yahoo]

Blizzard, Infinity Ward, Neversoft execs sign long term contracts with Activision Blizzard [Variety]

Board chairman Rene Penisson said he's "delighted that the merger is completed," and that the new company is "determined to 'think big!'"

The merger was first announced in December of 2007. Through it, Blizzard and Sierra parent Vivendi becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision, scoring 295.3 new shares of Activision stock. It'll also buy 62.9 million new shares for a total of $1.7 billion - the result is that Vivendi owns a stake of about 52 percent in its new parent company.

Announcement follows the jump.

Vivendi and Activision Complete Transaction to Create Activision Blizzard
World's Most Profitable Pure-Play Online and Console Game
Publisher

Cash Tender Offer for Up to 146.5 Million of Activision Blizzard
Shares at $27.50 Per Share to Commence Within Five Business Days

Vivendi Owns 52% on a Fully Diluted Basis/54% of Outstanding
Shares of Activision Blizzard

PARIS & SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jul 10, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Vivendi (Euronext Paris: VIV) and Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced the completion of the transaction announced on December 2, 2007 to create Activision Blizzard, as the world's most profitable pure-play online and console game publisher. Activision Blizzard was formed by combining Activision, one of the world's leading independent publishers of interactive entertainment, and Vivendi Games, Vivendi's interactive entertainment business, which includes Blizzard Entertainment's(R) World of Warcraft(R), the world's #1 subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Activision Blizzard will continue to operate as a public company traded on Nasdaq under the ticker ATVI.

Jean-Bernard Levy, CEO of Vivendi, said: "We have created the world leader in online and console games with this transaction and the combined strengths of the two businesses offer immense growth potential. I am also very confident that, with the new leadership team in place, the new entity is perfectly positioned to take advantage of these rapidly developing markets across the globe."

Rene Penisson, Chairman of Activision Blizzard, added: "We are delighted that the merger has been completed. We are very excited about the opportunity for Activision Blizzard to create a broader entertainment software platform. We are leaders across North America and Europe and are creating a substantial footprint in the rapidly growing Asian market. We are determined to 'think big'!"

"The completion of this transaction marks the beginning of an important new chapter in the history of interactive entertainment," said Robert Kotick, President and Chief Executive Officer of Activision Blizzard. "By combining leaders in mass-market entertainment and subscription-based online games, Activision Blizzard has leading market positions across all categories of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry. With more than 10.7 million subscribers on World of Warcraft, and with tens of millions of people playing Guitar Hero, Activision Blizzard's games are transcending the traditional stereotypes and are more popular as a form of entertainment than ever before. We look forward to building upon our brands to create value for our shareholders, customers and consumers."

"From the beginning, our goal has been to make the best games in the world, and this transaction strengthens our ability to do just that," said Mike Morhaime, Blizzard Entertainment cofounder and Chief Executive Officer. "As part of Activision Blizzard we'll have the reach and resources to share our games with an even wider audience — while maintaining the same approach as always to providing high-quality entertainment and services to our players."

In addition to World of Warcraft, the #1 subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game, the transaction brings together some of the world's leading interactive entertainment franchises including Guitar Hero(R), the #1 family entertainment and #1 music-based franchise; Call of Duty(R), the #1 first-person action franchise; Tony Hawk, the #1 action sports franchise; Spider-Man, the #1 Super Hero franchise; Cabela's(R), the #1 sports hunting franchise; and two of the top-ten kids movie-based franchises, Shrek and Madagascar(TM), for calendar year 2005 through 2007 according to the NPD Group, Chart Track and The GFK Group.

The transaction was approved by Activision's stockholders at a special stockholder meeting on July 8, 2008 and closed on July 9, 2008.

Structure and Terms of the Transaction

Under the terms of the agreement, Vivendi Games merged with a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision and shares of Vivendi Games were converted into approximately 295.3 million new shares of Activision common stock. Concurrently with the merger, Vivendi purchased approximately 62.9 million newly issued shares of Activision common stock at a price of $27.50 per share for a total of approximately $1.7 billion in cash, resulting in a total Vivendi ownership stake in Activision Blizzard of approximately 52% on a fully diluted basis and approximately 54% of shares outstanding.

In accordance with the terms of the agreement, within five business days of the closing of the transaction, Activision Blizzard will launch a $4 billion all-cash tender offer to purchase up to 146.5 million Activision Blizzard common shares at $27.50 per share. To the extent that Activision's stockholders participate in the tender offer, the tender offer may be funded with Activision Blizzard's available cash on hand at closing, borrowings made under credit facilities from Vivendi, and proceeds from the issuance of additional shares to Vivendi for up to $700 million. If the tender offer were fully subscribed, Vivendi would own an approximate 68% ownership stake in Activision Blizzard on a fully diluted basis.

The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive in its first year post-closing for Activision's stockholders on a non-GAAP basis excluding equity-based compensation, one time costs related to the transaction, the impact of purchase price accounting related adjustments including amortization of intangibles, and the impact of the change in deferred net revenues and cost of sales related to online-enabled games.

Both Activision and Blizzard Entertainment's businesses have maintained their momentum and Activision Blizzard is well positioned to exceed the financial goals set for the combined company at the time of the deal announcement.

Board & Management

The Board of Directors of Activision Blizzard consists of eleven members: six directors designated by Vivendi, two Activision management directors and three independent directors from Activision's board of directors. Rene Penisson, a member of the Management Board of Vivendi and Chairman of Vivendi Games, will serve as Chairman of Activision Blizzard. Brian Kelly, Co-Chairman of Activision, will serve as Co-Chairman of Activision Blizzard. The three independent directors are Richard Sarnoff, Robert J. Corti and Robert Morgado. Other Activision Blizzard directors will be Robert Kotick (President and Chief Executive Officer of Activision Blizzard), Bruce Hack (Vice-Chairman and Chief Corporate Officer of Activision Blizzard), Jean-Bernard Levy (Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Vivendi), Doug Morris (Member of the Management Board of Vivendi and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Universal Music Group), Philippe Capron (Member of the Management Board and Chief Financial Officer of Vivendi), and Frederic Crepin (Senior Vice President, Head of Legal Department of Vivendi).

Activision Blizzard is drawing on an accomplished group of leaders from both companies: Robert Kotick is President and Chief Executive Officer of Activision Blizzard. Mike Griffith is serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Activision Publishing, which includes the Sierra Entertainment, Sierra Online and Vivendi Games Mobile divisions in addition to the Activision business.

Bruce Hack, who served as Chief Executive Officer of Vivendi Games, is Vice-Chairman and Chief Corporate Officer of Activision Blizzard, accountable for leading the merger integration and the finance, human resources and legal functions. Blizzard Entertainment cofounder, Mike Morhaime, will continue to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of Blizzard Entertainment. Thomas Tippl, formerly Chief Financial Officer of Activision Publishing, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of Activision Blizzard and Jean-Francois Grollemund, Chief Financial Officer of Vivendi Games, has been appointed Chief Merger Officer of Activision Blizzard.

Portfolio of Video Games and Franchises

Activision Blizzard's portfolio includes best-selling video games such as Guitar Hero(R), Call of Duty(R), and Tony Hawk, as well as Spider-Man(TM), X-Men(TM), Shrek(R), James Bond(TM) and TRANSFORMERS(TM), leading franchises such as Crash Bandicoot(TM) and Spyro(TM) and Blizzard Entertainment's(R) StarCraft(R), Diablo(R), and Warcraft(R) franchises including the global #1 subscription-based massively multi-player online role-playing game, World Of Warcraft(R).

About Activision Blizzard

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Blizzard, Inc. is a worldwide pure-play online and console game publisher with leading market positions across all categories of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry.

Activision Blizzard maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Romania, Australia, Chile, India, Japan China, Taiwan and South Korea. More information about Activision Blizzard and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activisionblizzard.com.

Important Additional Information has been and will be filed with the SEC

THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT AN OFFER TO BUY OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO SELL ANY SECURITIES. THE SOLICITATION AND THE OFFER TO BUY SHARES OF ACTIVISION BLIZZARD'S COMMON STOCK WILL ONLY BE MADE PURSUANT TO AN OFFER TO PURCHASE AND RELATED MATERIALS THAT ACTIVISION BLIZZARD INTENDS TO FILE WITH THE SEC. ONCE FILED, ACTIVISION BLIZZARD STOCKHOLDERS SHOULD READ THESE MATERIALS CAREFULLY PRIOR TO MAKING ANY DECISIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFER BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER. ONCE FILED, ACTIVISION BLIZZARD STOCKHOLDERS WILL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN THE OFFER TO PURCHASE AND RELATED MATERIALS WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFER FREE OF CHARGE AT THE SEC'S WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.SEC.GOV, OR FROM THE INFORMATION AGENT NAMED IN THE TENDER OFFER MATERIALS.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Blizzard's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. In this release, they are identified by references to dates after the date of this release and words such as "outlook", "will," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes", "may", "expects," "intends," and similar expressions. Factors that could cause Activision Blizzard's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales of Activision Blizzard's titles in its fiscal year 2009, shifts in consumer spending trends, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Blizzard's ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms (including next-generation hardware), declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Blizzard's products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware and related software, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, vendors and third-party developers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions, foreign exchange rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, Activision Blizzard's success in integrating the operations of Activision and Vivendi Games in a timely manner, or at all, and the combined company's ability to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies of the transaction to the extent, or in the timeframe, anticipated. Other such factors include the further implementation, acceptance and effectiveness of the remedial measures recommended or adopted by the special sub-committee of independent directors established in July 2006 to review historical stock option granting practices by Activision Blizzard and its board of directors, the finalization of the tentative settlement of the SEC's formal investigation and final court approval of the proposed settlement of the derivative litigation filed in July 2006 against certain current and former directors and officers of Activision Blizzard relating to Activision Blizzard's stock option granting practices, and the possibility that additional claims and proceedings will be commenced, including additional action by the SEC and/or other regulatory agencies, and other litigation unrelated to stock option granting practices and any additional risk factors identified in Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and the definitive proxy statement filed on June 6, 2008 in connection with the proposed transaction with Vivendi. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and Activision Blizzard assumes no 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 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.

Sure, we knew that Vivendi and Activision and their subsidiaries weren't doing the E3 thing proper, but Activision is at least holding a press conference. Chalk it up to denial. The good news, according to MTV, is that Mr. Schafer says we may hear more about it "soon after" E3. I'm ignoring Tim's "we hope" caveat.

We're also going to refer to the newly merged Activision Blizzard as Activision Blizzard Brütal Legend to show just how important we think the game is.

No ‘Brutal Legend’ At E3 [MTV Multiplayer]

The merger was first announced in December of 2007, but has just now been finalized. Through it, Blizzard and Sierra parent Vivendi becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision, scoring 295.3 new shares of Activision stock. It'll also buy 62.9 million new shares for a total of $1.7 billion - the result is that Vivendi owns a stake of about 52 percent in its new parent company.

Santa Monica-based Activision's new name will officially be Activision Blizzard, a moniker change also approved by the shareholders today, but it'll continue to trade on the NASDAQ under its same symbol, ATVI.

Full details after the jump.

Activision Stockholders Approve Combination with Vivendi Games

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jul 08, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced that, at a special meeting of stockholders held earlier today, it received the stockholder approval necessary to consummate the company's agreement with Vivendi, S.A. to combine Vivendi Games, Vivendi's interactive entertainment business, with Activision's businesses. All of the proposals required to effect the transaction received more than 92 percent of the shares voted. The transaction is expected to close on or around July 9, 2008.

Activision and Vivendi Games will combine their businesses through the merger of a newly formed, wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision with and into Vivendi Games. As a result of the merger, Vivendi Games, the parent company of Blizzard Entertainment and Sierra, will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision. Vivendi will receive approximately 295.3 million newly issued shares of Activision common stock. Concurrently with the merger, Vivendi will purchase approximately 62.9 million newly issued shares of Activision common stock at a price of $27.50 per share for a total of approximately $1.7 billion in cash, resulting in a total Vivendi ownership stake in Activision Blizzard of approximately 52% on a fully diluted basis and approximately 54% of shares outstanding. As of the closing of the transaction, Activision will be renamed Activision Blizzard and will continue to operate as a public company traded on NASDAQ under the ticker ATVI.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Blizzard, Inc. is a worldwide pure-play online and console game publisher with leading market positions across all categories of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry.

Activision Blizzard maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Romania, Australia, Chile, India, Japan China, the region of Taiwan and South Korea. More information about Activision Blizzard and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activisionblizzard.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Blizzard's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. In this release, they are identified by references to dates after the date of this release and words such as "outlook", "will," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes", "may", "expects," "intends," and similar expressions. Factors that could cause Activision Blizzard's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales of Activision Blizzard's titles in its fiscal year 2009, shifts in consumer spending trends, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Blizzard's ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms (including next-generation hardware), declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Blizzard's products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware and related software, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, vendors and third-party developers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions, foreign exchange rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, , the Activision Blizzard's success in integrating the operations of Activision and Vivendi Games in a timely manner, or at all, and the combined company's ability to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies of the transaction to the extent, or in the timeframe, anticipated. Other such factors include the further implementation, acceptance and effectiveness of the remedial measures recommended or adopted by the special sub-committee of independent directors established in July 2006 to review historical stock option granting practices by Activision Blizzard and its board of directors, the finalization of the tentative settlement of the SEC's formal investigation and final court approval of the proposed settlement of the derivative litigation filed in July 2006 against certain current and former directors and officers of Activision Blizzard relating to Activision Blizzard's stock option granting practices, and the possibility that additional claims and proceedings will be commenced, including additional action by the SEC and/or other regulatory agencies, and other litigation unrelated to stock option granting practices and any additional risk factors identified in Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and the definitive proxy statement filed on June 6, 2008 in connection with the proposed transaction with Vivendi. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and Activision Blizzard assumes no 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 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.

Diablo III (PC) [IGN via videogaming247]

Console Diablo "theoretically possible" [Eurogamer]

What are you waiting for? Head over there and signup! Considering the number of WoW players located in the United States and Europe, you might want to stop by the gas station for some lottery tickets while your at it, just to experience more favorable odds.

Wrath of the Lich King Beta Opt-In Now Open [World of Warcraft via WorldofWar.net]

I want one. Strike that, I need one. My soul cries out for it, but not so badly that I am willing to spend more than of $600 to snag one off of eBay. I'll just use the old model-swapping technique. Sure, no one else will see him and he'll make panda noises, but the screenshots will be fantastic.

Tyrael Mini Pet, Blizz Auth, Blue posts [MMO Champion - Thanks Jim!]

In some ways, perhaps, the world of Mergers and Acquisitions is a massively multiplayer role playing game as well. Like in World of Warcraft and other games, the participants in the M&A field take on certain roles, interact in their own community, hone specialized skills, and even develop a unique, somewhat curious vernacular. One particular quest in the world of M&A is disclosure litigation. In the instance of disclosure litigation presently pending before this Court, the world of M&A meets the World of Warcraft.

All I can see is a man in a business suit with a yellow exclamation point over his head. Hit the jump for Judge Chandler's stunning conclusion.

In the role-playing game that is this disclosure litigation, both sides have played their respective roles well. Plaintiff has vigorously battled for additional information about the proposed transaction, and, indeed, additional information has been released by the Company during the pendency of this litigation. Likewise, defendants have responsively and effectively addressed the many variations of claims that plaintiff has proffered. Ultimately, however, there still remained three outstanding disclosure claims for the Court to resolve. Like any game, this one has rules, and the most essential rule of disclosure is materiality. Because the plaintiff could not establish the materiality of its final three disclosure claims, the motion for a preliminary injunction is denied. The July 8, 2008 meeting may proceed. GAME OVER.

I love this man.

In Chandler Opinion, World of M&A Meets ‘World of Warcraft’ Video Game [The Wall Street Journal via Game Politics]

The Wayne County group had claimed that it was getting short-ended in the deal, not gaining all the benefits from the combination that it could. The court will not allow the Wayne County group's lawsuit to impede the merger, which is highly likely to be approved across the board. Activision's full announcement follows the jump.

ourt Denies Preliminary Injunction Motion Relating to Activision's Proposed Combination with Vivendi Games
Stockholders' Meeting Scheduled for July 8, 2008

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jul 02, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced that the Delaware Court of Chancery has denied the Wayne County Employees' Retirement System's request for a preliminary injunction relating to Activision's proposed combination with Vivendi Games, Inc., the interactive entertainment business of Vivendi S.A.

A special meeting of stockholders of Activision, Inc. will be held on Tuesday, July 8, 2008, to consider and vote on proposals to approve the transaction and related matters. If Activision's stockholders approve the transaction and the other matters to be considered at the special meeting, Activision anticipates closing the business combination on or about July 9, 2008.

The meeting will be at 11:00 a.m., local time, at The Peninsula Hotel located at 9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Founded in 1979, Activision posted net revenues of $2.9 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan and South Korea. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.

SOURCE: Activision, Inc.

“One of the things that we considered when we were working on the visuals for ‘Diablo III’ is the fact that color is your friend. We feel that color actually helps to create a lot of highlights in the game so that there is contrast. A great analogy is like in ‘Lord of the Rings’ — not everything is dark. It allows you to see what a creepy dungeon can be like but if everything is dark it doesn’t allow you to have a lot of contrast.”

Lee also explains that they want players excited to enter and explore new areas, rather that simply provide the same dark environments over and over again.

Lee does admit that fan feedback is a major factor in how Blizzard develops titles. It'll be interesting to see what impact - if any - the petition has on the development of the game.

‘Diablo III’ Producer Justifies Controversial Art Direction: ‘Color Is Your Friend’ [MTV Multiplayer]

The pet itself will be a miniature version of the Archangel Tyrael of Diablo 2 fame who will travel with you on all your grand adventures in Azeroth! Pictures of this amazing new pet will be available on the official website soon for everybody to check out.

That's right, Archangel Tyrael from Diablo II, who now graces the main page of the Diablo III website. I need him, if only to counteract the evil forces of my Collector's Edition mini-Diablo. Sorry Leslie, nothing personal!

Worldwide Invitational In-Game Pet Redemption [WoW Forums via WorldofWar.net]

I must say I am disappointed that Blizzard has stayed on the conservative side in terms of design with their updates to Diablo and Starcraft. Diablo will be interesting since World of Warcraft has a lot of Diablo-like qualities. I have no doubt, however, that they will be incredibly fun, addictive and polished games. Blizzard is the top of the class when it comes to game development - nobody does it better.

Man, why's everyone so down Diablo III? There's that rainbow petition and now this? Blizzard cannot win, like never ever ever. Hit the jump for Cheng's post in full:

Diablo III announced. Nice. It looks pretty amazing, especially the gameplay video. Loved the destructible environments.

I must say I am disappointed that Blizzard has stayed on the conservative side in terms of design with their updates to Diablo and Starcraft. Diablo will be interesting since World of Warcraft has a lot of Diablo-like qualities. I have no doubt, however, that they will be incredibly fun, addictive and polished games. Blizzard is the top of the class when it comes to game development - nobody does it better.

In fact, World of Warcraft is currently banned from any computer I own due to its highly addictive qualities. Its easily one of my favorite RPGs.

I know they are working on another Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game. I hope its World of Starcraft.

UPDATE:
Dear Blizzard,
Please forgive me.

XOXO,
Ash

When the ship runs out of ocean [ash :: the blog via Big Download]

Interview with Rob Pardo [OnlineWelten, via Shacknews]

But what about the arguable king of all MMOs, World of Warcraft? Will it ever get on the trendwagon and go free, or offer a free option, at least? Not so much, says Blizzard COO Paul Sams, as part of an in-depth Gamasutra interview:

I don’t envision us changing the business model for World of Warcraft. It’s been working really well in each of the markets.

The game has been designed in such a way to where we determined the business model to wrap that around what the game experience was. Given that we’re not looking to significantly modify the overall gameplay experience, which is I think is something you’d need in order to do item-based stuff, what that says to me is the business model’s going to remain the same for WoW, and then as new products come about for Blizzard, we’ll look at what the business model is that’s right for each of those games.

If we make a game that’s right for an item-based game, then we would do that – if it’s the right business model. But really, the game drives what the business model is. And WoW has been built in such a way where I don’t think that would be the way we’d go.

It is an interesting point that microtransactions-driven business models need a concurrent gameplay structure to support it. Okay, then!

I've been spending my day or so back from vacation reading through all of the coverage that came out of the City of Lights. There's been quite a bit to read. If you missed out over the weekend here's the full run down.

Blizzard Announces Diablo III

Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: Diablo III In-Depth

Diablo III Webpage Filled With Trailers, Screens, Evil

Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: Counting Down

Epic Blizzard Swag Get!

Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: How Much Is Your Goody Bag Worth?

Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: Day One

Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: “There Is No Penguin Level.”

Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: The Blizzard Museum Show Diablo 3 Concept Art

Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain Level Up

The Man Behind Diablo III Talks Plot, Lore and Battle.Net

Outside scenarios with vivid colors, beautiful forests with colorful vegetation, shinny and beautiful waterfalls where even rainbows take place.

They hate rainbows! They can't draw gothic fan art with rainbows in it!

*sigh* It just goes to show you that no matter how hard you try there's just no pleasing some people.

Renewed artistic direction for Diablo 3 [PetetionOnline.com via WorthPlaying]

"And I kind of look at it and say to myself, and I think similarly to Rob, is that it would be great if they put more emphasis on the Windows operating system, certainly probably the most prominent operating system in the world. Even more so than console boxes.

And they own and operate that system, so having them put more energy and effort against it – and they would say that they are, but I think that there’s more that can be done.

Sams told Gamasutra it makes sense to him that Microsoft is currently putting so much energy on the console, as it's their "gaming bread and butter."

Blizzard's Sams: Microsoft Should Put More Emphasis On PC Gaming [Gamasutra]

Kotaku: So, Jay, what can you tell us about the storyline of Diablo III?

Jay Wilson: In the previous two games, Diablo and his two brothers, Mephisto and Baal, were the three Prime Evils of a world called Sanctuary. Where we start off in Diablo III, it’s twenty years later (after Diablo II: Lord of Destruction) and the brothers are gone, they’ve been vanquished. Essentially everyone was kind of geared for Hell to actually invade. At the end of Lord of Destruction, the Worldstone was destroyed, it left a giant crater and everyone was expecting the hordes to come pouring out of it and nothing happened. So, Deckard Cain is one of our main characters from the first two games, he’s spent the last two decades trying to find out where the last two Evils are, what they’re doing and why the invasion didn’t happen. A lot of the rest of the story focuses on Tyrael, the Angel of Justice, and what’s happened to him since that event as he was actually the angel who destroyed the world.

Kotaku: From a lore point of view, the mythology of Diablo seems just as complex as it is for Warcraft or Starcraft, do you think this is important?

Jay Wilson: Yes, absolutely, it’s one of our main focuses of the game. What was funny was that when I gave you the synopsis of the game, it feels so simple! We love the story.

Kotaku: You said earlier that you’d been working on the game for what, four years? Do you think that taking longer over a game improves the final product significantly?

Jay Wilson: Four …. or five, somewhere in that area. I think taking as long as a game needs to take guarantees that it’s a good game. It’s hard to say whether it improves the end product but sometimes it’s necessary. Blizzard only releases great games so if it’s not great we just don’t release it. One of the things I would want to say, especially to our most patient fans – the ones that have been hoping for Diablo III - is that I hope they see it’s a testament of our love for the franchise that we wouldn’t release it before it’s good and ready. We’ve really spent this time trying to make a sequel that was worthy of them.

Kotaku: In the demo you showed during the Opening Ceremony, you gave us a glimpse at the Witch Doctor class which seems to use several spells similar to those found in World of Warcraft. Do you worry that some fans will think you’re just copying aspects of WoW?

Jay Wilson: No. Do I think people will say that? Yes, I think they will. One of the things I like to remind people is that it’s okay to steal from ourselves. A good idea is a good idea and a good skill is a good skill and so when we look across all our games we borrow from each other all of the time. But the really key and important thing is do we play like World of Warcraft? No! We don’t play anything like it, Diablo has a different feel to it and that’s fine. If we look at the history of Blizzard games, at Warcraft I and II, the spell Blizzard appeared, it also appeared in WoW and Diablo II. I almost think it’s more like a signature but as long as a game has enough original stuff that it stands on its own and plays like its own game, that’s what matters.

Kotaku: In that case do you think that this might work in your favour, that WoW players, for example might be persuaded to try Diablo III?

Jay Wilson: Yeah, actually, I do think that. I think players like things that they are familiar with and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them saying: “Oh, this class is like the warrior in WoW. Cool, I wanna play that!” Especially if it’s going to get them into the game. I think we gain as much as we could lose, people love to see something familiar and the reaction to Whirlwind was a great example.

Kotaku: You only joined Blizzard recently, does your passion for Diablo stretch back further than that?

Jay Wilson: Yes, I am a Blizzard fan. My first Blizzard game was Rock N’ Roll Racing so yeah. Warcraft I, II, StarCraft - I’m a huge StarCraft fan, Diablo I and II; Diablo used to be spoken of in hushed tones in my house because I was so excited and I pretty much played Diablo II since the day it came out. It’s one of those games that’s great to go back to.

Kotaku: Why do you think Diablo has captured so much attention?

Jay Wilson: I think you could pick out a lot of things: the setting’s darker and people like that, especially now. I actually think Diablo II wins on the fun scale. All of the Diablo games, they’re fun to play and that’s important. You could take the most flawed game in the world and as long as it’s fun it’s okay. Diablo II’s super easy to play, you could teach your grandmother to play it in five seconds.

Kotaku: With the popularity of WoW and other online games, Battle.net seems to have nearly disappeared into the background. Do you think Diablo III will breathe new life into the service?

Jay Wilson: I can’t really talk about Battle.net but I will say, Battle.net will not be a background. I’ll be huge, the next version will be absolutely Blizzard’s focus. Everyone is going to be thrilled when they see the kind of stuff we have planned! It feeds into our overall focus of providing a really great service for our players.

It's a sound that World of Warcraft fans will be very familiar and it was during the Closing Ceremony Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain finally leveled up, becoming Level 72, 74, 76, 78 and finally Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain.

The Closing Ceremony marked the first time the heavy metal rock band - which is comprised of Blizzard staff and fronted by Blizzard's art director Samwise Didier - has performed in Europe and over the course of their five song set - which included 'Power of the Horde', 'Terran Up The Night!', 'Rogues Do It From Behind', 'I Am Murloc' and a new song inspired by Diablo III entitled 'Raise Some Hell' - the band dinged (complete with a shot of a WoW avatar surrounded in light and amended promotional artwork - until they finally hit eighty, officially becoming Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain.

Each member of Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain has an in-game World of Warcraft avatar and the band performed outside Shattrath City during last year's BlizzCon and the band can now be found killing time between gigs within Horde territory in Silvermoon City with their manager. The band were originally named after the maximum level achievable by a Tauren in Warcraft III and returned with World of Warcraft as Level 60 Elite Tauren Chieftain, levelling to seventy with the announcement of The Burning Crusade so their name-change was not completely unexpected.

The event was the first part of the Worldwide Invitational Closing Ceremony and the band's performance was greeted to rapturous applause and a heavy Horde bias. Didier also invited the crowds to accompany 'I Am Murloc', their final song, with some audience participation: making what he called the 'Murloc mating call'. He quickly explained: "Do you know why it's called the Murloc mating call? It's because when you hear it, you know you're screwed!"

Wallspace is given to the three major IPs along with Blizzards older games that even the most hardened Diablo fan might not of heard of, titles like The Lost Vikings and Battle Chess II. Between each section are large flat screen TVs showing looped movies for World of Warcraft and their other projects. Everything is here, from the novels to the artbooks and prints of the individual coverart for all their games. There’s even a replica of an orc and wolf statue which fans might recognise as identical to one that appeared on eBay a couple of months ago and a scaled down version of the one on Blizzard’s campus.

If you’re in Paris for the WWI, then this is a booth not to be missed and if you’re not, then feast your eyes on the gallery below to get a taste of what you’re missing.

So the splash screen mystery has been solved, at least on the surface but embedded underneath the screen was a second file – a CSS file containing of all things an evil-looking purple penguin. As of writing, the reasons for this bird’s inclusion. Fans of World of Warcraft instantly linked the bird to Wrath of the Lich King, especially as images of a penguin pet -– believed to either be the WWI pet or one from the Collector’s Edition of the next expansion –- has been circulating on the interweb for nearly a month.

Journalists have been just as perplexed, even asking Jay Wilson about it during the EU press conference. Even he seemed genuinely unaware of why it was there. I made a point of asking both the EU and US PRs about the splash screen only to be answered with cagey denials, ‘I don’t knows’ and the instant classic ‘There is no penguin level’. But why go to so much trouble to place a hidden file if it didn’t hold some significance? Theorists are going nuts and while the official word is still ‘this is Diablo III’s day’, Blizzard could still announce something at tonight’s closing ceremony.

The question of the penguin is certainly something to be asked at this afternoon’s interviews. We’ll be sure to let you know if and when the mystery surrounding this ugly, hunchbacked bird is solved.

Now, in an interview with Joystiq that went up earlier today, Jay Wilson, the game's lead designer, was asked about the possibility of Diablo III coming to the consoles, and he spoke at length about Blizzard's vision for such a possibility.

Q: Do you have any plans for Diablo on consoles?
We don't have any plans.

Or not.
And guess what else — you're not going to be playing it on a mobile device either! Shock. Anyway, the remainder of Wilson's interview is, in fact, worth reading.

Joystiq asks why they went with a Battle.net model instead of an MMO (short answer: Battle.net model would be a "true sequel" to Diablo II, MMO would not). Also, while they're still mulling group limits in multiplayer co-op, Wilson makes it clear the game will be most fun in groups of four or, tops, eight. And they ask but get no answers about release time, number/type of character classes, and secret cow levels.

Joystiq Chats with Jay Wilson on Diablo 3 [Joystiq]

So the first day of Blizzard’s Worldwide Invitational is over: Diablo III is official and fans stream out into the streets of Paris to rejoice. Of course the Opening Ceremony wasn’t the end of the event; merely the beginning.

The ceremony itself took place on the main stage which was jam-packed with over 3,500 people and many more standing. Attended by press from all around the world as well as several special guests such as the VPs of Global Finance and Human Resources (yep, we were all humbled too). Hosted by pop star China and stand up comedian and film star Anthony Kavangh, the event saw Blizzard co-founder Mike Morhaime take to the stage and congratulate the gamers of Europe as well as reminding all those present that this is the first time an invitational has been held outside of Korea. He took us on a trip back in time to last year’s event in Seoul – a movie which includes a classic sound bite in the making from a teenaged Korean fan: “It’s fun because Blizzard made it.” Morhaime also commented on the Activision-Blizzard merger, provoking laughter when he said they’d ‘leveled up’.

The ceremony concluded in a musical fashion, in keeping with last year’s Korean pop idols. A troupe of Fire Dancers who performed to composer Russell Brower’s latest composition from the soundtrack of Diablo III. With the conclusion of the ceremony, the attendees scattered with the journos heading to a press event with leader designer Jay Wilson and VP/co-founder Frank Pearce.

Because of the top-secret-but-everyone-knows-about-it announcement about Diablo III, the panels weren’t announced until after the ceremony had concluded and suddenly the convention floor was flooded with plans detailing the numerous talks, several of which focus on, yes you guessed it, Diablo. There were also some dev panels focusing on the present and future classes of World of Warcraft and several StarCraft panels.

Interspersed between was the chance to watch ace European guild Nihilum raiding in Sunwell Plateau trying to down Kil’Jaeden or watching a huge selection of pro-gamers battling it out for top spot. Esports is a big part of any invitational so they are running nearly none stop over the two day event and each team of professional gamers was paraded on the main stage as part of the Opening Ceremony.

Split across two floors, there are also numerous booths such as the Blizzard Museum and the famous Darkmoon Faire, complete with life-sized scantily-clad Night Elf, a mail box, meeting stone and a turtle mount. The event sponsors – who include Intel and amBX – also had their own booths but it was the Starcraft II and Wrath of the Lich King areas which seemed to attract attention, with an even longer line than the one for the food vendors, although not quite as long as the one at the main entrance. Unfortunately the Wrath computers were suffering technical hitches meaning they kept freezing, very handy if you’re trying to explore Howling Fjord but what’s an event without a technical hitch or three? Check back tomorrow for hands on preview of both games.

Other fun activities were available such as an Armourer and the chance to get made up as a World of Warcraft character and have a photo taken against a suitably Azerothian background. But for many the biggest photo opportunity was the life-sized Frozen Throne, complete with Arthas’s creepy crown. Very in keeping, despite the lack of Wrath-related announcements.

Check back tomorrow when we’ll be bringing you more coverage from the WWI, including coverage of the epic closing ceremony and WoW and StarCraft Q and A.

If last year’s BlizzCon is anything to go by, it won’t be too long before the goodies (and the bag itself) given to attendees at this year’s WWI start appearing in auction sites. Sad but true, some people will just put the swag straight on eBay in order to make a quick buck or two. But how much should all this swag set this back and is it worth the £55/€70 ticket or the even bigger sum you might end up paying via an auction site?

Fortunately, as Blizzard have a shop selling many of these exclusive goodies, we can tell you.

Blizzard’s concept of a shop, however, is not something you’d recognise instantly; with one per floor they only stand out thanks to the humongous sign and the enormous, never diminishing queue. Rather than go in an browse, attendees can drool over items for sale which are handily displayed in several glass cabinets, they then fill in an order form, wait in the queue for what must seem like for ever, hand over fistfuls of Monopoly money (sorry, Euros) and depart with their goodies.

A glance at this form reveals very little by way of exclusive goodies, much of the goody bag can be purchased if you so inclined and, aside from a few event-specific items like posters and T shirts, many of the items – like the Trading Card Game – can be purchased from anywhere.

Take the huge mouse mat depicting the official event artwork, that’s on sale for €20, the notebook is €13 for an Alliance or Horde version, rather than the actual exclusive Diablo version found in the bag. The signed Miniature is the only other proper exclusive as the game doesn’t launch until later this year; how much you’d pay depends on how much you like Orcs. The bag itself isn’t on sale and it’s one item which is genuinely worth buying, a sturdy satchel emblazoned with the WWI logo which would probably set you back around €45 if it were to be sold. The TCG starter pack retails in the WWI shop for €15 but the really important item – the one which sends the price skyrocketing – is the Beta key and in-game pet.

A staple of such events the beta key is actively sought by many fans dying to get an early look at the next big game and expansion. Except Blizzard haven’t even announced when and what owners of the card will be able to play. The pet on the other hand is equally as mysterious. Believed to be a penguin by some, the unnamed pet won’t go live until later next week with the introduction of patch 2.4.2 and the lack of confirmation will either enhance the worth or send it plummeting.

While the WWI is not about the freebies given to attendees, it’s clear from the interest in items as well as the number of people on the official forums obsessing over getting their hands on one that the goody bag is on a par with the announcements which come out of the event. Whether it is worth shelling out a small fortune for these ‘exclusive goodies’ remains to be seen.

Speaking about the game's development, he explained that they were "about a third of the way through" the campaign, and were concentrating on story structure and cinematics at this point - commenting that by the end of the year, Blizzard should have something very impressive to show off.

That said, Mac gamers can expect a simultaneous release of this title, too — whenever it arrives.

StarCraft II — Not Happening in 2008 [Internode Games Network]

by Lesley Smith

Blizzard Entertainment President Mike Morhaime formally announced Diablo III during the WWI’s opening ceremony this morning, not that this will come as a surprise to anyone with the Diablo III forums already active on the official Blizzard site and rumours running rampant for nearly a fortnight.

After recapping on the success of the previous Invitational held in Korea, Morhaime premiered a trailer and then demoed a level playing as a Barbarian and a Witch Doctor, showcasing some of the improvements over the original game as well as giving attendees a hint at what they can expect from the final product. This includes a new UI in place of the potion belt and the ability to play the game just by using a mouse. Similarly the health system has been augmented by God of War and Devil May Cry style red globes which replenish not just the health of the character but also those near by.

After the Fire Dancers had left the main stage and the crowds has dispersed, many jubilant, I headed for the jam-packed press conference where journalists got to give Blizzard’s Jay Wilson (Lead Designer on Diablo III) and co-founder Frank Pearce a grilling about Diablo III.

“It’s been in development for a few years. About four.” Wilson admits and of course, when asked the next Big Question: a release date, he gives the typical Blizzard response. “When it’s done,”

Blizzard co-founder Frank Pearce was quick to add that, even after four years, “it’s far too early in development.”

Despite being vague on many points such as how much of the game was complete – a process Wilson described as ‘super fun’ - and the specifics of the storyline, He revealed the game is set twenty years after the War of Destruction and the events of the original games have become regarded as myth, indeed even those who were alive (and that’s not many) are either insane or convinced that nothing happened.

Unlike Warcraft, this is not a game about crafting your own unique virtual persona. Other than the classes and the gender, avatars aren’t customisable; instead the idea is to “dive right in and get to the monster killing”.

Being a Diablo title, it really wouldn’t be right unless there were plenty of monsters to slaughter and bosses to defeat. The monsters themselves are huge but even the obese charging abomination we saw steam-rolling towards a Barbarian – a giant in its own right – was just a mob. But the most impressive aspect was not the size of the mobs – it was a wall of zombies which managed to elicit cheers from the crowds.

While the assembled masses were shown two areas, a dungeon and a grassy wilderness, that was more than enough to show off some of the more interesting aspects of the Barbarian and Witch Doctor. The first, for example, uses a special attack called Whirlwind to send zombies and other trash flying to their deaths while the Witch Doctor makes use of pets who do their bidding. They can also summon swarms of locusts who devour enemies and anyone nearby. Like World of Warcraft’s priests and warlocks, they also have the ability to send enemies running using an ability called Horrify as well as mind control which is going to make for some interesting fights. Even more so when you consider that maps aren’t all static, some are random meaning the exit and entrance to an area might not be in the same place each time.

Oh, and for those of you wondering what really was with that Blizzard splash screen well the Diablo theorists were right. Wilson confirmed that the design of the splash screen was meant to hint at Diablo III but doesn’t know anything about that purple penguin.

Diablo III Official Website [Blizzard]

Mmmmm, it's like coming home, isn't it?

I think the penguin stands for hope!

More to come!

As is expected with Blizzard events, company employees were handing out the much-prized (and instantly eBayable) Goody Bags. The swish mini backpack emblazoned with the WWI logo includes a host of loot, including an in-game pet (which we’ve not yet been able to redeem in Booty Bay), the Beta key, a programme, a figure from the Upper Deck miniature game, a notebook and a mousemat sporting the event’s banner featuring Arthas as well as characters from Diablo and Starcraft II.

We’ll let you know what the pet is as soon as Landro Longshot makes nice and starts talking about the WWI.