IRVINE, Calif.—October 2, 2015—The innkeeper’s getting ready to set up shop in a whole new land! Blizzard Entertainment is bringing Hearthstone®, its smash-hit digital strategy card game, to Japan this month! Hundreds of thousands of Japanese gamers are already playing non-localized versions of Hearthstone, but soon everyone in Japan will have access to a fully localized Japanese-language version, making it easier than ever to pull up a chair and get in on all the card-slinging action.
“Gamers in Japan have shown a lot of passion and support for Hearthstone since it launched globally last year,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re excited to finally bring them a fully localized version, and we look forward to welcoming even more Japanese duelists to the inn later this month.”
Deceptively simple, yet insanely fun, Hearthstone is a free-to-play digital strategy card game that anyone can enjoy. Players choose an epic Warcraft® hero to play as, and then take turns playing cards from their customizable decks to cast potent spells, use heroic weapons or abilities, or summon powerful characters to crush their opponent. Whether you want to prove your prowess in ranked matches, test your chops as a deck builder in the Arena, challenge your friends in a Tavern Brawl, or battle crafty A.I. opponents to win shiny new cards in Solo Adventures, Hearthstone offers all kinds of fun ways to play. For more information about the game, visit www.playhearthstone.com.
Hearthstone will be available in Japan for iOS and Android™ mobile phones; Windows®, iOS, and Android tablets; and Windows and Mac® PCs. Localized versions of all content currently available in the game—including Classic and expansion card packs, Adventures, and Heroes—will be available for purchase in the in-game Shop with the launch of the Japanese version, providing gamers with limitless possibilities for fine-tuning their deck-building strategies. Further details on Blizzard’s launch plans for the Japanese version of Hearthstone will be announced at a later date.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, 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 nineteen #1-selling games* and multiple 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 distribution partners.