First-ever official esports league license grants Upper
Deck exclusive rights to
trading cards, prints, posters, stickers, and
memorabilia
CARLSBAD, Calif., May 13, 2019 /CNW/ -- 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.
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 30th 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.
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SOURCE Upper Deck