Rise Nation Battle to Win CWL Anaheim Open Championship

The final Global Open Event of the record-setting Call of Duty® World League season, Presented by PlayStation®4, concluded with Rise Nation crowned the CWL Anaheim Open champion. In a tournament that featured more than 150 teams from North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific Region competing through three days, Rise Nation defeated Red Reserve in a close battle in the Championship match on Sunday to capture its third title of the season. Teams Luminosity Gaming and Unilad rounded-out the remaining top four teams at the CWL Anaheim Open.

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Tommy "TJHaLy" Haly, Daniel "Loony" Loza, Rodger Saffold (Rise Nation, CEO), CWL Anaheim MVP Peirce "Gunless" Hillman, and Austin "Slasher" Liddicoat (Photo: Business Wire)

Championship team Rise Nation earn the majority stake of the event’s $200,000 prize pool for the victory and look to be favorites for the 2018 CWL Championship. For their CWL Anaheim Open win, Rise Nation’s roster will also have their names hoisted on a banner at a future event in the G FUEL Hall of Champions, where championship teams throughout CWL history are celebrated for their achievements within the entrance of Call of Duty World League events.

Viewers at the Anaheim Convention Center and online were also treated to the Call of Duty™ Endowment CWL All-Star game, which saw Division B stars walk away victorious against a team of Division A professional players. The Call of Duty Endowment is the official charity of the CWL, whose aim is to combat veteran unemployment and underemployment by helping veterans find high-quality jobs after their service. As part of the All-Star game celebration, the Call of Duty World League made a $10,000 donation to the charity organization on behalf of Division B, which was composed of fan-voted CWL pros James 'Clayster' Eubanks (eUnited), Bradley "Wuskin" Marshall (UNILAD), Peirce 'Gunless' Hillman (Rise Nation), and Seth 'Scump' Abner (OpTic Gaming).

In addition to the excited crowd, the CWL Anaheim Open was streamed live to fans around the world on MLG.com/CallofDuty and Twitch.tv/CallofDuty, as well as within the in-game Call of Duty®: WWII theater on PlayStation®4.

Peirce 'Gunless' Hillman of Rise Nation was named Astro MVP following his team’s successful quest to become CWL Anaheim Open Champion. The two-time MVP is an early favorite to be named to the upcoming SCUF Gaming Team of the Week, which honors top competitors in the CWL each week.

Here are the final placements for the CWL Anaheim Open:

• 1st – Rise Nation
• 2nd – Red Reserve
• 3rd – Luminosity Gaming
• 4th – Unilad
• 5th/6th – FaZe Clan / OpTic Gaming
• 7th/8th – Mindfreak / Tainted Minds

Call of Duty esports competition continues on June 26, 2018, when the CWL Pro League Stage 2 continues, streamed live from the MLG Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The top four teams from each Division will then compete for the lion’s share of $500,000 at the CWL Pro League Stage 2 Playoffs on July 27-29, 2018.

The current season concludes at the 2018 Call of Duty World League Championship, August 15-19, 2018. Tickets are available now, while supplies last, for the public days of the 2018 CWL Championship (August 17-19, 2018), taking place at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. For tickets, visit MLG.com/CWLChamps.

Visit CallofDuty.com/esports and follow the Call of Duty World League on Twitter and Instagram for the latest CWL updates. For live broadcasts and Video on Demand, visit MLG.com/CallofDuty.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

About the Call of Duty Endowment

The Call of Duty Endowment is a non-profit organization founded by Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. The Endowment seeks to help veterans find high-quality careers by supporting groups that prepare them for the job market and by raising awareness of the value vets bring to the workplace. For more information about the Call of Duty Endowment, please visit www.callofdutyendowment.org.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected features of the Call of Duty World League and its 2018 CWL season, including the G FUEL Hall of Champions, and the dates and features of the CWL Pro League Stage 2, CWL Pro League Stage 2 Playoffs, and 2018 CWL Championship, are forward-looking statements, that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. 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 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 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.

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