From the Press Release
Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), and Tencent Holdings Limited, a leading Internet services provider in China (SEHK: 00700), announced the launch of the public open beta for Call of Duty Online to hundreds of millions of Chinese gamers. Currently live across China, Call of Duty Online is a new free-to-play version of the blockbuster Call of Duty video game franchise that marks a historic first for the series, as the pop culture phenomenon expands to the world's largest gaming market.
The development of Call of Duty Online has been led by veteran Call of Duty® studio Raven Software. Inspired by the blockbuster, critically-acclaimed hits Call of Duty: Modern Warfare® and Call of Duty: Black Ops universes, Call of Duty Online draws from these iconic experiences that have captivated millions of gamers around the world in an all-new Call of Duty experience, created exclusively for China.
"Millions of gamers in the West have come to appreciate that white-knuckled, epic thrill-ride that only Call of Duty delivers. And now an entire new audience of gamers will experience this for the first time. We believe Call of Duty Online is going to be a game-changer for Chinese gamers," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. "We've worked closely with our partner at Tencent, and we've challenged one of our most trusted and talented development teams of Raven Software to create a true Call of Duty experience tailored for the Chinese market. Throughout testing, the community feedback has been tremendous. We couldn't be more excited and we look forward to winning the hearts and minds of a new community in China."
The new free-to-play experience for Call of Duty - in which gamers are able to purchase or rent in-game items - delivers an unprecedented, unique offering for Chinese players, including Hero Ops single-player campaign missions, Survival Mode cooperative experiences, best-in-class Call of Duty multiplayer and the newly created Cyborgs (PVE modes exclusive to the Chinese market in Call of Duty Online) - all delivered with the trademark Call of Duty cinematic intensity and fast-paced action, for which the franchise is known the world over.
Steven Ma, Senior Vice President of Tencent, said, "Since announcing Call of Duty Online, we have gone through a series of alpha and closed beta tests, with each test generating incredibly positive results. Call of Duty Online is a top tier game developed by an elite team and we are honored to bring this highly anticipated title to the Chinese players."
"Over the last few years, we've worked closely with Tencent to tailor Call of Duty Online specifically for the Chinese audience, while maintaining an authentic Call of Duty experience," said Brian Raffel, Studio Head at Raven Software. "We've had a unique opportunity to take the best moments from the entire Call of Duty franchise - along with all-new unique experiences - and deliver the ultimate entertainment package for a whole new audience."