Gear Up For An Epic Siege On The Sea And A War On The Shore In Activision's BATTLESHIP® -- Available Today

MINNEAPOLIS, May 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- It's time to engage in an epic battle at sea and on shore as Hasbro (Nasdaq: HAS) and Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced that BATTLESHIP® the video game is available today at retail outlets nationwide. The game takes a hybrid approach combining military strategy and fast-paced first-person action gaming as players take control of a powerful naval fleet and experience the cinematic action of war at sea.  BATTLESHIP is now available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™ system from Nintendo and the Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held systems.

"Working with the legendary BATTLESHIP property, and the new epic action-adventure from Universal Pictures, we felt it was important to capture some of the cinematic drama while allowing players to experience the action from a unique perspective," said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. "We want both movie-goers and gamers of all ages to dive into an all new, fun BATTLESHIP experience."

Combining military strategy and fast-paced first-person shooter gameplay, players take control of a powerful naval fleet in this re-envisioned version of BATTLESHIP.  Trapped in a "dome" of alien-terror on the Hawaiian Islands, where support communications have been put to a halt, players commandeer real-world naval vessels, including Destroyers, Carriers, and even the famous U.S.S. Missouri as action-packed sea battles against alien invaders ensue across land, sea, and air.

"With numerous gaming platforms available today, it is important to showcase BATTLESHIP on many different levels," said Mark Blecher, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Digital Media and Marketing at Hasbro.  "The new BATTLESHIP is the perfect medley that both strategic and action-junkie gamers will fall in love with."

In BATTLESHIP for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation®3 systems, first person run-and-gun gameplay meets tactical battle command.  Playing as Cole Mathis, a first class Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician, players will deploy air strikes and radar sweeps to monitor and dominate the marine battlefield.  With killer-combat instincts, players must lock-and-load an arsenal of weapons like machine guns and missile launchers to send the invaders packing.

In the Wii, Nintendo 3DS, and DS versions, players are in control of a wide variety of naval units, including Cruisers, Submarines, and Patrol Boats in exciting turn-based combat with a team of specialized commanders.  With different play modes to choose from, including Story and quick-battle Skirmish, players will unlock new maps, units, and leaders to turn the tide of battle.

BATTLESHIP is available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation®3 system for a suggested retail price of $59.99, and is rated "T" (Teen) by the ESRB.  The game is also available for the Wii system for $39.99, the DS for $24.99 and the Nintendo 3DS for $29.99.  All Nintendo versions are rated "E10+" (Everyone 10 and older) by the ESRB.  For more information, please visit www.battleshipthevideogame.com.

About Hasbro

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company's world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. The Company's Hasbro Studios develops and produces television programming for markets around the world. The Hub TV Network is part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), in the U.S. 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." Learn more at www.hasbro.com.

©2012 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 are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as "outlook," "will," "could," "would," "might," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes," "may," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimate," future," "plan," "positioned," "potential," "project," "remain," "scheduled," "set to," "subject to," "upcoming" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. 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, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing's titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing's ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms, declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing's products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware (including peripherals) and related software, industry competition including from used games and other forms of entertainment, litigation risks and associated costs, rapid changes in technology, industry standards, business models including online and used games, and consumer preferences, including interest in specific genres such as music, first-person action and massively multiplayer online games, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors, and third-party developers, including the ability to attract, retain and develop key personnel and developers that can create high quality "hit" titles, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates, and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities and potential challenges associated with geographic expansion, and the 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.

©2012 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. "PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. ©2011 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS are trademarks of Nintendo. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

BATTLESHIP is a trademark of Hasbro and is used with permission. ©2012 Hasbro.  BATTLESHIP Motion Picture ©2012 Universal Studios.

For Information, Contact:
Amanda Young
Sandbox Strategies
212.213.2451 ext. 227
[email protected]

SOURCE Activision Publishing, Inc.