The Game is Afoot in the Newest Hearthstone® Expansion, Murder at Castle Nathria™

135 all-new cards to embroil players in the motive, means, and drama of a mystery from the shadowed Castle Nathria

Murder at Castle Nathria^™, the latest expansion for Blizzard Entertainment’s sensational digital card game Hearthstone^®, is now live. Sire Denathrius—former leader of Revendreth—has invited his enemies as guests to his Castle for an elegant dinner soirée. The evening is going smoothly…until suddenly, the Sire himself is murdered! Now, with the castle turned into a crime scene, it’s up to players—and the brainy Murloc Holmes—to figure out whodunit.

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Hearthstone Murder at Castle Nathria logo

“Castle Nathria is one of the most beloved World of Warcraft^® raids from the past couple of years and we had a lot of fun bringing the style and energy of that experience to the whimsical world of Hearthstone,” said Mike Ybarra, president of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re excited to see players throw on their deerstalker hats, check fingerprints on all new cards and legendary suspects, and immerse themselves in the murky mystery of this expansion.”

To help with the demanding detective work, the Hearthstone team is adding a new card type to the game! Location cards are a feisty addition to your board, playable for an initial mana cost and then activated for free on your turn. Drop them onto the board and wisely set the effects in motion, keeping careful watch on the one-turn cooldown and diminishing durability to execute your strategy.

Also shaking up gameplay is the new keyword, Infuse. Cards with Infuse will transform into mightier versions of themselves by drinking the intoxicating anima surrendered whenever a friendly minion dies. Hold these cards in your hand until they’re fully infused—the transformation will metamorphose the artwork. Plus, no mystery would be complete without suspects! All ten classes will have their own Legendary suspect minion who was present at the party, giving players plenty of potential motives to unearth.

Murder at Castle Nathria™ is the second expansion for the Year of the Hydra. For more card info, game mechanics details, and fun extras, visit www.playhearthstone.com. For screenshots and other assets, visit http://blizzard.gamespress.com.

About Hearthstone

With more than 130 million players worldwide, Hearthstone is Blizzard Entertainment’s internationally acclaimed, free-to-play digital card game designed for novice and veteran card-slingers alike. Players can choose from 10 powerful hero classes and customize their decks with minions, spells, and weapons based on the unique fantasy of the Warcraft^® universe. Featuring a variety of game modes ranging from epic head-to-head duels to story-driven Solo Adventures, Hearthstone offers a vibrant and rewarding experience stacked with strategy, personality, and fun. Hearthstone is available globally for Windows^® and Mac PCs; Windows, iOS, and Android tablets; and iOS, and Android mobile phones.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft^®, Hearthstone, Overwatch^®, the Warcraft, StarCraft^®, and Diablo^® franchises, and the multifranchise Heroes of the Storm^®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes twenty-three #1 games^** and numerous Game of the Year awards. The company's online gaming service, Battle.net^®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.

^**Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distributors.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements:

Information in this press release that involves Blizzard Entertainment's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the availability, pricing, features, and functionality of Hearthstone^®, the Murder at Castle Nathria^™ expansion, and the Year of the Hydra, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard Entertainment'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 Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment 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 Blizzard Entertainment 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.

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