Activision And Hasbro Reveal TRANSFORMERS™: RISE OF THE DARK SPARK™ Video Game For Next Gen And Current Gen Consoles

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), and Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) today announced TRANSFORMERS™: RISE OF THE DARK SPARK™, a video game complement to Paramount Pictures' upcoming film, TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION, set to release this June. This third-person action adventure video game goes beyond the movie by uniting the universe of director Michael Bay's TRANSFORMERS movies with the ever-popular Cybertron universe. Players will choose from over 40 playable characters from the two different universes as they battle to secure the Dark Spark. TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE DARK SPARK will be releasing on Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, Sony's PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Nintendo's Wii U™ system and the Nintendo 3DS™ handheld system and Windows PC.

"TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE DARK SPARK is an arc between the Cybertron and Earth based worlds of this popular franchise," remarked Mark Blecher, SVP Digital Gaming & Corporate Development  at Hasbro, Inc. "This year marks 30 incredible years of TRANSFORMERS.  This game tells another chapter in the TRANSFORMERS story that all fans will love."

Serving as a follow-up to both the upcoming TRANSFORMERS live-action film and Activision's TRANSFORMERS: WAR FOR CYBERTRON and TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON titles, TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE DARK SPARK jumps worlds and factions as it weaves the tale of the hunt for an ancient relic as powerful as the Matrix of Leadership - the Dark Spark. Players will be able to switch between the heroes of the noble AUTOBOTS and the nefarious DECEPTICONS throughout the single-player campaign. Similar to High Moon Studios' CYBERTRON entries in the highly regarded series, gameplay features nimble, fast-paced running-and-gunning combat paired with traversal and vehicle action across open battlefields for large-scale, dynamic conflicts.

Players will also see the return of the fan-favorite multiplayer mode, Escalation, which delivers wave-based, survival-style gameplay for up to four players online cooperatively. It features new, upgradeable defense systems, recognizable adversaries from the lore, and an expanded roster of playable characters from past and present. Additionally, an exciting new leveling system transforms single-player and multiplayer into one unified, persistent character development path. Experience earned in any part of the game unlocks potent awards and tactical loadout choices – including new characters, stronger weapons, special abilities and consumable bonuses - for use throughout the entire game.

TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE DARK SPARK is currently rated "RP" (Rating Pending) by the ESRB. Be sure to check out the latest information on the game at www.transformersgame.com.

About Hasbro, Inc.

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company dedicated to fulfilling the fundamental need for play for children and families through the creative expression of the Company's world class brand portfolio, including TRANSFORMERS, MONOPOLY, PLAY-DOH, MY LITTLE PONY, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF and LITTLEST PET SHOP. 

From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with innovative play and entertainment experiences, in a variety of forms and formats, anytime and anywhere. The Company's Hasbro Studios develops and produces television programming for more than 180 markets around the world, and for the U.S. on Hub Network, part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications.

Through the Company's deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens." Learn more at www.hasbro.com. © 2014 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

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

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 date 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.

TRANSFORMERS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. ©2014 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. ©2014 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Licensed by Hasbro. Game © 2014 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION is a registered trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Opening the game box and using the software constitutes acceptance of the Software License Agreement available at support.activision.com/license. ESRB rating icons are registered trademarks of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and may not be used without permission of the ESA. "PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.  Nintendo trademarks and copyrights are properties of Nintendo. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

SOURCE Activision Publishing, Inc