VIVHY Vivendi SE (PK)

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Think you're tough enough to survive a horde of undead walkers?  Gamers will be able to find out next year as Activision Publishing Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), and Terminal Reality announced today an all-new The Walking Dead™ video game. Based on AMC's Emmy-Award winning TV series, the do-whatever-you-need-to-survive first-person action game will allow players to assume the role of the mysterious, crossbow-wielding survivor Daryl Dixon, alongside his overbearing brother Merle, on a haunting, unforgiving quest to make their way to the supposed safety of Atlanta.

"The work AMC has done with the TV series has been amazing and we're ecstatic at the opportunity to be brought into the fold," said Drew Haworth, Creative Director at Terminal Reality.  "The studio is made up of fans of the show, and we think other fans will see that the situations and walkers featured in our game are every bit as gruesome and shocking as they are in the TV series – they look, move and react as expected with full authenticity – and they will surprise you.  The player's fight-or-flight survival instinct is constantly engaged.  'Flight' is usually a good bet."

Terminal Reality's The Walking Dead video game takes the undead and brings them out of the TV show and into console gaming systems in a new, terrifying way.  The iconic walkers will relentlessly hunt down players like their television counterparts, using a combination of sight, sound and smell.  As Daryl, players will need to tread carefully throughout each new area they explore.  Once discovered, it doesn't take much to attract an unstoppable horde of undead walkers, so every threat needs to be assessed, and every situation analyzed.  Players will have to choose between whether to stay and fight while risking a gruesome death or using stealth to avoid the undead.  No place is truly safe for Daryl as he makes his way through the Georgia countryside in this new, post-apocalyptic world.

"Activision and Terminal Reality are working to deliver a powerful combination of a deep, engrossing story with intense action," said Charlie Collier, AMC's president.  "Daryl is such a unique and complex character and we're excited to offer fans the opportunity to experience this new video game."

Resources are scarce and scattered in The Walking Dead video game, and gamers will have to not only ration supplies, but carefully consider their food, medical needs, ammunition, and other goods as survival in the game is based upon wit and intellect more so than simple, sheer skill.  In order to endure this constant state of danger, players will have to do all they can to silence the noises they make and avoid detection.  Throughout his journey, Daryl will encounter a slew of other characters that can help or hurt him in a variety of ways, and whether or not they accompany him is completely up to player choice and represents just some of the major decisions that will constantly be made while fighting to survive.

The Walking Dead video game is scheduled for release in 2013 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC, and is currently rated "RP" (Rating Pending) by the ESRB.  For more information, visit www.TheWalkingDeadBegins.com or 'Like' The Walking Dead on Facebook (facebook.com/TheWalkingDeadAMC).

About AMC's "The Walking Dead"

AMC's "The Walking Dead" secured a 2010 Golden Globe nomination for best television series and won the 2011 Emmy award for outstanding prosthetic make-up.  The series tells the story of the months and years that follow the zombie apocalypse.  It tracks a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, who travel in search of safety and security.  The story explores the challenges of life in a world overrun by zombies, the toll it takes on the survivors, and how sometimes the interpersonal conflicts present a greater danger to survival than the zombies themselves.  Over time, the characters are changed by the constant exposure to death, some growing willing to do anything to survive.  AMC's "The Walking Dead" is the number one drama series in basic cable history for key demos, including Adults and Men 18-49 and Adults 25-54.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, mainland China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com. 

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 release date of The Walking Dead Video Game 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.

©2012 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. "PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. ©2011 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

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SOURCE Activision Publishing, Inc.