The Overwatch League™ and Upper Deck Sign Multi-Year Exclusive Trading Card and Collectibles Deal

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May 13, 2019, 16:36 ET

First-ever official esports league license grants Upper Deck exclusive rights to
trading cards, prints, posters, stickers, and memorabilia

CARLSBAD, Calif., May 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Upper Deck and the Overwatch League™ today announced a multi-year deal for licensed collectibles that includes the world's first-ever official esports league trading card release as well as stickers, sticker books, prints, posters and memorabilia. The collaboration with the Overwatch League marks the first venture into esports for Upper Deck.

The first Overwatch League-licensed trading card set will release June 19, 2019 on www.UpperDeckEpack.com and will showcase fan-favorite players and teams from the league’s inaugural season. Collectors can also earn exclusive avatars, relic shadowbox cards with match-used equipment, autographed jerseys, multi-player booklet cards, and more through e-pack’s extensive achievement system.

Overwatch League fans will now be able to buy, open, collect, and trade cards with other collectors across the globe through Upper Deck e-Pack™, the patent-pending platform that allows fans to easily access trading card packs from anywhere in the world using a smart phone, tablet, or computer. What makes the e-Pack system truly unique is the ability for users to get actual physical versions of cards sent directly to them at any time.

The first Overwatch League-licensed trading card set will release on June 19, 2019, on www.UpperDeckEpack.com and will showcase fan-favorite players and teams from the league's inaugural season. Highlights include rare cards autographed by multiple players, cards featuring key moments from the 2018 season, and cards incorporating other league memorabilia. Through the e-Pack platform, collectors will also be introduced to an extensive achievement system where they can earn exclusive avatars, relic shadowbox cards featuring match-used equipment, autographed jerseys, multi-player booklet cards, and more.

Attendees at the upcoming Overwatch League 2019 All-Stars events will be treated to sneak-preview promo packs of the highly anticipated Overwatch League trading card release, and will have the opportunity to jumpstart their digital collection with two exclusive All-Star themed hero cards available for a limited time via a QR code located in the sample packs.

"We are excited to collaborate with the Overwatch League for our first esports deal and to deliver new products to Overwatch League fans," said Jason Masherah, president of Upper Deck. "This is a great way to celebrate Upper Deck's 30^th anniversary, and we look forward to working with the talented team at Activision Blizzard for many years to come."

"Collaborating with Upper Deck allows the Overwatch League to offer fans everywhere the opportunity to collect and trade exclusive cards and collectibles—featuring their favorite teams and players—that can be cherished for years to come," said Daniel Siegel, head of esports licensing at Blizzard Entertainment. "This is an awesome milestone for our companies, and for esports as a whole."

Find out more about Overwatch League-licensed trading cards from Upper Deck at UpperDeck.com/OWL.

About Upper Deck

The Upper Deck Company is a worldwide sports and entertainment company built on the pillars of quality craftsmanship, authenticity and innovation, with a dedication to creating products that turn memorable moments into collectibles. Upper Deck is home to the world's greatest athletes, including Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, Connor McDavid, LeBron James and Ben Simmons.

About the Overwatch League™

The Overwatch League™ is the first major global professional esports league with city-based teams across Asia, Europe, and North America. Overwatch® was created by globally acclaimed publisher Blizzard Entertainment (a division of Activision Blizzard—NASDAQ: ATVI), whose iconic franchises have helped lay the foundations and push the boundaries of professional esports over the last 15 years. The latest addition to Blizzard's stable of twenty-two #1 games,^[1] Overwatch was built from the ground up for online competition, with memorable characters and fast-paced action designed for the most engaging gameplay and spectator experiences. To learn more about the Overwatch League, visit www.overwatchleague.com.

About Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues

Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues (ABEL) is responsible for the development and operation of premier Activision Blizzard professional gaming properties including the Overwatch League™ and the Call of Duty® World League, as well as the commercialization of the entire Blizzard Esports portfolio. Launched in 2017, the Overwatch League is the world's first major global esports league with city-based teams, with 20 teams across Asia, Europe, and North America. In 2019, the Call of Duty World League Presented by PlayStation®4 will deliver five vs. five team play featuring Call of Duty®: Black Ops 4. It is ABEL's vision to be the most innovative, scalable, and valuable developer of global competitive entertainment.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft®, Hearthstone®, Overwatch®, the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, and the multi-franchise Heroes of the Storm®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (https://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-two #1 games[1] and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company's online gaming service, Blizzard Battle.net®, is one of the largest online-gaming services in the world, with millions of active players.

© 2019 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. OVERWATCH, OVERWATCH LEAGUE, BLIZZARD, and BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT are trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

[1] Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners.

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 collaboration with Upper Deck, including the availability and features of the Overwatch League-licensed trading card set, and the features of the Overwatch League 2019 All-Star events, 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.

SOURCE Upper Deck