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BlizzCon 2011 To Feature Professional eSports Competition

by Rainier on July 12, 2011 @ 9:47 a.m. PDT

Blizzard Entertainment announced that tickets for its sixth BlizzCon gaming convention will go on sale in two batches on Saturday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 25.

BlizzCon is a celebration of the global communities surrounding Blizzard’s Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft game universes. The event once again offers players a valid reason to skip work on a Friday when it returns to the Anaheim Convention Center this year on October 21 and 22. Gamers around the world will also have the option to enjoy BlizzCon from the comfort of their own home by ordering a BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, which offers comprehensive live coverage of the event streaming online and also on DIRECTV in the United States.

In addition to serving as a mutual stomping ground for the different Blizzard communities, BlizzCon will feature an array of activities, including discussion panels, hands-on playtime with current and upcoming Blizzard Entertainment games, professional and casual tournaments, contests, and much more. Blizzard is looking forward to learning more about its own games from Red Shirt Guy if he can make it to the show again this year.

Blizzard Entertainment announced that the 2011 Global Battle.net Invitational and the 2011 GSL (Global StarCraft II League) October Final will both be held at BlizzCon 2011. The action will be live at BlizzCon and presented for free over the Internet. A free Battle.net account will be required for access to the Internet stream. Sign up for an account at  www.battle.net.

BlizzCon, which takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center in California from October 21 to 22, is a celebration of the global player communities surrounding Blizzard Entertainment's  WarcraftStarCraft, and  Diablo universes. Tickets to attend BlizzCon are sold out, but virtual tickets, which provide comprehensive live coverage of the event, will be available for $39.99 USD at  www.blizzcon.com.

"Between the Global Battle.net Invitational and the GSL October Final, two of the biggest eSports events of the year will be taking place at BlizzCon 2011," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "We're looking forward to witnessing the high level of competition between the pro gamers participating in these events alongside our attendees at BlizzCon and the viewers at home."

The Global Battle.net Invitational is one of the top attractions at BlizzCon, featuring top-ranked pro players who have been invited to participate from across the world. This year, players will compete in  StarCraft II: Wings of Libertyand  World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.

The GSL is one of the world's most-watched eSports competitions. Since its inception in 2010, millions of viewers have watched GSL broadcasts featuring intense matches between highly skilled professional players. These world-class competitors make a living through sponsorships and by battling it out for cash prizes in prestigious tournaments. The GSL October Final match is expected to bring much excitement to both domestic and overseas viewers as it will be the first GSL tournament final to take place outside of Korea. Between the Battle.net Invitational and the GSL October Final, a total prize pool of nearly $300,000 USD will be up for grabs at BlizzCon 2011.

Tickets to the convention are priced at $175 USD each and are available for purchase from the official BlizzCon website.

Tickets to the BlizzCon Benefit Dinner, which include admission to BlizzCon, will be priced at $500 USD each, with proceeds going to Children's Hospital of Orange County. Taking place the evening of Thursday, October 20, this exclusive event offers guests an opportunity to rub elbows and trade war stories with Blizzard game developers and other employees before the show.

Gamers around the world will also have the option to purchase a BlizzCon Virtual Ticket priced at $39.99 USD (pricing may vary by region). The Virtual Ticket grants access to comprehensive live HD coverage from the show floor on each day of the convention, including exclusive interviews, demos, and more. Virtual Ticket coverage will be available to viewers globally as a multichannel Internet stream and also via Pay-per-View on DIRECTV in the United States. DIRECTV customers who order the televised event will receive the multichannel Internet stream at no extra charge, allowing them to watch in the format of their choice. Those who order the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket will also receive this year’s BlizzCon-exclusive World of Warcraft and StarCraft II in-game items (availability may vary by region), to be revealed at a later date. Limited streaming coverage of the BlizzCon opening ceremony and certain BlizzCon tournaments will be available via the Internet for free.

As BlizzCon draws closer, further details about the show, including ordering and programming information for the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, will be announced at the official BlizzCon website.

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