Battle.net Launches Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Pre-Orders and Release Date is March 25, 2014

Take up the righteous cause of the Crusader and chart your own epic course through Sanctuary in the upcoming expansion to Diablo® III

IRVINE, Calif. –(BUSINESS WIRE)– On March 25 , the crusade against death itself begins when Diablo® III: Reaper of Souls™ charges forth to challenge Windows® and Mac® gamers around the world. Brave heroes willing to answer the call to action can prepare for the Angel of Death’s forthcoming onslaught by prepurchasing the expansion digitally at https://www.diablo3.com/reaper starting today.

In Reaper of Souls, the five original heroes from Diablo III—Barbarian, Demon Hunter, Monk, Witch Doctor, and Wizard—are joined by a new champion: the Crusader. Clad head to toe in battle-scarred armor, the Crusader is an unstoppable force of righteous destruction who channels the power of divine wrath to visit retribution upon his demonic quarry.

Players will embark on a dark and perilous journey across a challenging new act, venturing through terrifying landscapes; visiting the legendary city of Westmarch; and slaying countless minions, each hell-bent on bringing their quest to a grisly end. The adventure culminates in a climactic confrontation with Malthael, the fallen Archangel of Wisdom, an otherworldly entity of unfathomable power whose twisted designs spell ruin for the innocent people of Sanctuary.

“With Reaper of Souls, we’re taking Diablo III back to its darker, deadlier roots and also giving players a new way to experience the game,” said Mike Morhaime , CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment . “In addition to adding a new character class, a new act, and tons of fully randomized new content, we’re opening up the world so players are free to explore the game as they see fit, whether it’s following along with the story line or charting their own course across Sanctuary.”

Prior to the launch of Reaper of Souls, a free update to Diablo III on Windows and Mac will bring a host of new game features, including a major revamp of the game’s loot system; an expanded Paragon progression system for max-level characters; and expanded social tools in the form of Clans and Communities. When Reaper of Souls is released on March 25 , it will introduce an array of game-changing features and highly replayable content for Diablo III players who purchase the expansion, including:

• Act V: A dark and terrifying chapter sending players on a final confrontation with death itself
• The Crusader: A new playable hero—a veritable war machine made human
• Level Cap to 70: Formidable new spells and abilities that take players to new heights of power
• Adventure Mode: A new game mode that gives players the freedom to go anywhere and slay anything
• Bounties: Randomized objectives that reward players in new ways for exploring Sanctuary
• Nephalem Rifts: Fully randomized dungeons offering endless replayability and heaps of loot
• The Mystic: A powerful new artisan who provides heroes with loot-customization options

All of this new content comes with the Reaper of Souls Standard Edition (available in physical and digital versions), which players can prepurchase at a suggested retail price of $39.99 . Players also have the option to upgrade their prepurchase to the Digital Deluxe Edition (SRP $59.99 ), which contains a wealth of in-game bonuses:

• Exclusive helm- and weapon-transmogrification recipes for players to distinguish their characters among the champions of Sanctuary
• A Spectral Hound minion players can summon to keep their adventurers company on their epic journey
• Three additional character slots to accommodate new heroes
• A World of Warcraft® in-game companion pet, the Treasure Goblin, ready to compete in Pet Battles
• A set of StarCraft® II Crusader-themed Battle.net® portraits and Malthael-themed decals

The Reaper of Souls retail-exclusive Collector’s Edition comes fully-equipped with all of the bonus items from the Digital Deluxe Edition and also includes a gorgeous full-color hardcover art book, a behind-the-scenes Blu-ray/DVD two-disc set, and a mouse pad bearing the impenetrable visage of Malthael, the Angel of Death. The Collector’s Edition is available at select retailers for a suggested retail price of $79.99 . Players should check their local retailer for details and availability and be sure to lock in their preorder, as supplies are limited and expected to sell out quickly.

In addition to the English version, Reaper of Souls is available fully localized into Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, French, German, European Spanish, Italian, Russian, Korean, and traditional Chinese.

For more information on Reaper of Souls for Windows and Mac and to prepurchase your copy, visit https://www.diablo3.com/reaper. Keep an eye on www.diablo3.com for forthcoming updates on the launch of the Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition for PS4, which includes the award-winning Diablo III and the Reaper of Souls expansion, custom-tailored to provide the ultimate demon-slaying experience for the new generation of cutting-edge consoles.

With multiple games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has numerous positions currently available—visit https://jobs.blizzard.com for more information and to learn how to apply.