Upper Deck Entertainment Inks Deal With Blizzard Entertainment(R) to Bring World of Warcraft(R)
to Trading Card Game Players
Setting the mark as the industry's leader in innovation, Upper Deck Entertainment (UDE), a division of
The Upper Deck Company, announced today plans to create and distribute a trading card game (TCG) based
on the biggest name in the Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) genre, World of
Warcraft(R). Teaming up with award-winning and internationally recognized online computer gaming company
Blizzard Entertainment(R), Inc., Upper Deck's World of Warcraft TCG -- and its supporting Organized
Play programs -- will be available to consumers in Spring of 2006.
"The World of Warcraft TCG will perfectly capture all of the action-packed combat and furious
competition that online players have come to expect," said Jerry Bennington, Senior VP of Upper
Deck Entertainment. "There are a myriad of similarities between online and TCG gaming communities;
Blizzard and Upper Deck have focused on creating products that both support and capture the imagination
of these gamers. With the combined efforts of these two great companies, the World of Warcraft TCG will
be nothing less than phenomenal."
"TCGs have always been very popular with Blizzard's development teams, so we're especially excited to
be working with Upper Deck to produce a card-based World of Warcraft game," commented Mike Morhaime,
Blizzard Entertainment president and co-founder. "In addition to offering our players a new way to
experience Azeroth, this new game will also introduce World of Warcraft's fantasy setting to a whole new
audience."
"Upper Deck is proud to offer a robust organized play structure which allows players to come together
for special events from all around the world," said Jeff Donais, UDE Director of Game Development.
"Among the activities, players will be able to build their decks and attend events that let them
challenge Onyxia, or raid Molten Core in an attempt to defeat Ragnaros with the hopes of getting powerful
Epic cards. We expect a tempest of activity surrounding the game and plan to support it to the fullest for
many years to come."
World of Warcraft is currently one of the most popular MMORPGs in the world, with more than three and a half
million paying customers playing the game in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Europe, China and
Singapore. In World of Warcraft, players assume the roles of legendary heroes and interact with thousands of
other players online as they explore, adventure and quest across a vast realm. Whether journeying together or
fighting against one another in epic battles, players form friendships, forge alliances and compete against
enemies for power and glory.
For more information on the upcoming World of Warcraft TCG, please visit www.upperdeckentertainment.com/wow.
About Blizzard Entertainment(R), Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including the Warcraft(R), StarCraft(R), and Diablo(R) series, Blizzard
Entertainment(R), Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division
of Vivendi Universal Games, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for
creating many of the industry's most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard's track record includes nine
#1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company's free Internet gaming service,
Battle.net(R), reigns as the largest in the world, with millions of active users.
About The Upper Deck Company, LLC.
Founded in 1988, The Upper Deck Company is the leading sports and entertainment publishing company and delivers
a portfolio of relevant, innovative and multi-dimensional product experiences to sports collectors and
entertainment enthusiasts.
Source: The Upper Deck Co, LLC
Date: August 19, 2005
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