On top of developing StarCraft II, Diablo III and whatever World of Warcraft expansion(s) the developer is cooking, Blizzard is adding "social networking features, cross-game communication, unified account management" and more to the new Battle.net.

Mike Morhaime, president and a co-founder of Blizzard, says that the revamped Battle.net will let players "connect, communicate and share experiences with each other [...] regardless of which Blizzard games they are playing."

Activision boss Bobby Kotick says the cross-game service will be "similar to Xbox Live," wording that may send a chill down the spine of those wary of plans to monetize Battle.net.

Morhaime says the service will be integrated more tightly with StarCraft II than any previous Blizzard game.

Of course Best Buy locations across the country will be opening as well, but they are nowhere near as important as that one right there. Until Morhaime can be cloned, this is the way it has to be.

Best Buy® Counts Down the Arrival of Wrath of the Lich King™ in New York City

World of Warcraft® Players to Meet Blizzard Entertainment® Developers and Be Among First to Obtain Their Copy at an Exclusive Launch Celebration

MINNEAPOLIS—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Alliance and Horde members will converge on the Best Buy at 44th Street and 5th Avenue to take part in the highly anticipated midnight launch of Blizzard Entertainment®’s World of Warcraft®: Wrath of the Lich King™. The celebration, starting at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Nov. 12 at the Best Buy store near Times Square, is the premiere developer meet-and-greet in the U.S. for the popular World of Warcraft game and the only such event on the East Coast.

The event includes appearances by Blizzard Entertainment cofounders Mike Morhaime, CEO, and Frank Pearce, executive vice president of product development. In addition, a number of the game’s developers will be available to meet players and sign copies of the game. Geoff Keighley, videogame TV host, will emcee the evening that will feature interviews, trivia and prize giveaways.

With more than 11 million subscribers, World of Warcraft is the most popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game in the world. Wrath of the Lich King is the game’s second expansion. For more information on the game visit www.WorldofWarcraft.com.

In addition to the original game and both expansions, players can purchase 60-day World of Warcraft subscription cards at Best Buy.

“At Best Buy, we’re passionate about helping gamers get the most enjoyment from their gaming systems – from having the latest releases to a full complement of gaming platforms, accessories, electronics and services,” said Jill Hamburger, Best Buy vice president games and movies. “Our newly introduced Reward Zone Gamers Club provides additional benefits and amazing experiences for our most loyal customers who love gaming.”

Reward Zone® program Gamers Club is a specialty expansion of Best Buy’s Reward Zone Loyalty Program. For every $150 spent on qualifying gaming software and accessories (certain exclusions apply) Reward Zone program Gamers Club members will receive 500 points/$10 reward certificates, in addition to their regular Reward Zone program points, that can be used on almost everything within the store. Additional membership benefits include special offers on game software and accessories, information on the latest gaming trends and hints and cheats for popular games to maximize the gaming experience. Members may also receive special access to invitation only gaming events hosted by Best Buy.

For more information on the launch event, visit www.bestbuy.com/midnightopenings.

Wrath of the Lich King is a trademark, and World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment, and Warcraft are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., in the U.S. and/or other countries.

"To date, 68 percent of the players who listed Age of Conan as their reason for cancellation, and 46 percent of players who listed Warhammer as their reason for cancellation have reactivated their subscriptions to World of Warcraft."

With the release of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion only a week away, I wouldn't be surprised to see those numbers growing by a good bit before all is said and done. I wonder if they track the people who answer, "I just don't love you anymore"? Come on, I didn't mean it baby, you just make me so crazy sometimes.

Blizzard Unfazed by Conan, Warhammer [EDGE]

NetEase has been a leader in the Chinese game market, and we look forward to working with them to deliver high-quality entertainment to Chinese gamers. This partnership is a sign of our continued commitment to our players in China and to the local industry.

The license will be on a three-year term and have a mutual one-year renewal period. Full details in the release after the jump.

Blizzard Entertainment(R) and NetEase to Introduce StarCraft(R) II and Battle.net(R) Platform into Mainland China

SHANGHAI, China, Aug 12, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and NetEase.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTES) today announced an agreement to license Blizzard Entertainment(R)'s StarCraft(R) II, Warcraft(R) III: Reign of Chaos(TM), Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne(TM), and Battle.net(R) platform, which provides online multiplayer services for these games, to Shanghai EaseNet Network Technology Limited, an affiliated company of NetEase.com, Inc. Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase have also established a joint venture, which will provide support for the operation of the licensed games and Battle.net platform in China.

"NetEase has been a leader in the Chinese game market, and we look forward to working with them to deliver high-quality entertainment to Chinese gamers," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "This partnership is a sign of our continued commitment to our players in China and to the local industry."

William Ding, CEO of NetEase, stated, "We're excited to be partnering with Blizzard Entertainment to bring StarCraft II and Battle.net to China. We hope to combine Blizzard Entertainment's expertise in developing world-class games with NetEase's strength in online-game operation in China to bring the best gaming experiences to our players."

The term of the license will be three years, with a mutual one-year renewal period, commencing from the commercial release of StarCraft II in the PRC. Under the agreements, Shanghai EaseNet will pay a revenue-based royalty over the license period, while NetEase will pay a milestone-based license fee and fund and guarantee certain additional payments and operating expenses in connection with the joint venture.

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.

"This is a great honor, and I'm proud to receive it," said Morhaime. "The success that Blizzard Entertainment has had over the years would not have been possible without the enthusiasm and support of players around the world, and the passion and dedication of our employees, so I thank all of them for contributing to this achievement."

MMOG PIONEER MIKE MORHAIME INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME OF THE ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS & SCIENCES

Blizzard Entertainment(R) Cofounder and CEO Honored for Expanding the Scope and Success of the Interactive Entertainment Industry

CALABASAS, Calif. - December 12, 2008 - The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) proudly announced today that Mike Morhaime, the president, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment(R), will be the eleventh visionary member inducted into its prestigious Hall of Fame. As one of the organization's highest honors, candidates are annually voted on by the Academy's illustrious Board of Directors. Induction into the Hall of Fame is bestowed upon individuals who've contributed to a significant advancement within the industry, while demonstrating proven success and leadership.

As the eleventh inductee, Morhaime will be honored for his efforts and contributions to the massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) space through Blizzard Entertainment's spectacularly popular World of Warcraft(R), as well as the tremendous success of the company's Warcraft(R), StarCraft(R) and Diablo(R) series. In particular, World of Warcraft has cemented Morhaime's influence and impact on the multi-billion dollar interactive entertainment industry; it is the world's largest online game, with more than 9.3 million subscribers. Morhaime and Blizzard Entertainment are recognized for creating an MMOG that expanded the traditionally hardcore audience of the genre to also include the broader casual-gaming audience.

"This is a great honor, and I'm proud to receive it," said Morhaime. "The success that Blizzard Entertainment has had over the years would not have been possible without the enthusiasm and support of players around the world, and the passion and dedication of our employees, so I thank all of them for contributing to this achievement."

Morhaime will join an elite group of 10 other interactive entertainment industry luminaries in the AIAS Hall of Fame: Trip Hawkins (Electronic Arts), Peter Molyneux (Lionhead Studios), Yu Suzuki (Sega of America), Will Wright (Maxis), John Carmack (id Software), Hironobu Sakaguchi (Square Enix), Sid Meier (Firaxis Games), Shigeru Miyamoto (Nintendo), Richard Garriott (Origin Systems), and Dan Bunten - known later in life as Danielle Bunten Berry (Ozark Softscape).

AIAS Hall of Fame Announcement Page 2

At this year's 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards(R), taking place on February 7, 2008 at Red Rock Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Morhaime will be presented the honor by Dr. Ray Muzyka, CEO of BioWare Corp. In addition, Morhaime is also part of the dynamic speaker line-up during the upcoming D.I.C.E Summit(R) taking place in conjunction with the Awards.