Curse

Well it looks like the wait is over regarding what's happening with the World of Warcraft TCG. It's being taken over by Cryptozoic Entertainment -- a new company started by Blizzard's Cory Jones and Wildstorm's John Nee. Check out the press release below for more details. They're going to be releasing the Wrathgate expansion this May which will include the new Blazing Hippogryph mount.

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Irvine, California – (March 24, 2010) – Cryptozoic Entertainment is pleased to announce that they have signed a long-term licensing agreement with Blizzard Entertainment. The multi-year arrangement grants Cryptozoic the right to produce the trading card game (TCG) based on Blizzard Entertainment's hugely popular World of Warcraft® massively multiplayer online role-playing game series.

“This is an exciting time for us and for players of the trading card game,” said John Nee, Cryptozoic Entertainment’s CEO. “Our first priority will be to maintain the current programs that the community has come to expect and then build from there. The game itself is fantastic, and will not change. The community can rest assured that we are committed to providing them with the high quality product and organized play that they deserve, worldwide.”

“It's important to us and to our players that every entertainment experience set in a Blizzard Entertainment game universe matches the standards we've established with our games,” said Paul Sams, Chief Operating Officer of Blizzard Entertainment. “We're proud of the quality and accessible gameplay that the World of Warcraft TCG has offered to date, and we're confident that Cryptozoic is the best team to help us continue that tradition.”

Cryptozoic will continue to expand the World of Warcraft TCG for years to come. Players will soon have a slew of exciting new cards to test their skills and defeat their opponents with at the upcoming Continental Championships in June and the World Championship in August. The first product release from Cryptozoic will be the Wrathgate boosters in May followed by the Class Decks in June.

“Having been fully involved with the development of the World of Warcraft TCG from day one, I've always been passionate about taking it into the future,” said Cory Jones, Cryptozoic’s President and Chief Creative Officer, and formerly Blizzard Entertainment's lead business and development liaison for the TCG. “I'm pleased to say that the players have a lot to look forward to as we continue developing and evolving the game to match the action and spirit of World of Warcraft.”

To start, players can get the latest news on the World of Warcraft TCG at www.cryptozoic.com. Then in just a few weeks a brand new website for the TCG itself will launch. Cryptozoic promises ongoing updates on everything from organized play to product releases as well as a regular dose of strategy articles and spoilers as they get closer to their initial product launch.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® series, 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 eleven #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.

About Cryptozoic Entertainment

Cryptozoic Entertainment was founded in 2010 on the core principal of player first. The Cryptozoic staff consists of players who are dedicated to producing the highest quality product and organized play experience possible. Visit www.cryptozoic.com for additional product and tournament information.