Level Up! Games Philippines is the Philippines’ pioneering online game publisher and the company that introduced massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) to gamers in the Philippines, setting itself up as the country’s premier force in online entertainment.

HONG KONG—Sanrio Digital and Level Up! Games, the Philippines’ first and leading online games publisher, have announced a distribution agreement to launch Hello Kitty Online in the Philippines. Hello Kitty Online is the eagerly anticipated official massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) of the Hello Kitty universe. Under the terms of agreement, Level Up! will publish and operate an English-language version of Hello Kitty Online in the Philippines.

“We are very excited to publish a local version of Hello Kitty Online with Level Up!, the Philippines’ leader in online games publishing. Their proven track record and experience in online gaming will be instrumental in bringing Hello Kitty Online to a young and dynamic new audience,” said Yat Siu, CEO of Sanrio Digital.

Level Up! Managing Director Jane Walker added, “Level Up Games is delighted that Sanrio, one of the world’s most celebrated brands, has given us the privilege of bringing Hello Kitty Online to our country. We’re confident that, like Sanrio’s well-loved characters, the game will find a special place in Filipino hearts.”

Hello Kitty Online is the official MMORPG based on the popular Sanrio characters. The game, currently in its beta stage, will launch in 2009 on a free-to-play model with optional premium upgrades. Players will explore and experience magnificent adventures in the magical and cute world of Sanrio Land as they interact with other players and more than a hundred Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty, Badtz-Maru, Cinnamoroll, and many others.

Hello Kitty Online is one of few MMORPG titles to target a female gaming audience. Aside from redefining traditional MMO gaming with the inclusion of integrated social media services, Hello Kitty Online seeks to make playing more worthwhile by connecting the virtual world with real charity events. Recently, the beta in-game event called “Food for Friends” asked players to craft and donate virtual items; the event generated hundreds of thousand of submissions and raised USD 12,000 for UNICEF and the Asian Youth Orchestra.

Blizzard Entertainment is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software. After establishing the Blizzard Entertainment label in 1994, the company quickly became one of the most popular and well-respected makers of computer games. By focusing on creating well-designed, highly enjoyable entertainment experiences, Blizzard Entertainment has maintained an unparalleled reputation for quality since its inception.

Blizzard Entertainment's track record of back-to-back number one-selling games spans more than a decade, and with blockbuster hits such as World of Warcraft, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, Diablo II, and StarCraft, the company has earned several consecutive Game of the Year awards. In addition, Blizzard Entertainment's online-game service, Battle.net, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active users.

The high-quality products based on Blizzard Entertainment's games have also proven popular and garnered critical acclaim. These products include action figures, novels, comic books, manga, board games, pen-and-paper role-playing games, apparel, the World of Warcraft Miniatures Game, and the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game, which is a bestseller in its category. Extending the reach of its game universes even further, Blizzard Entertainment is currently at work with Legendary Pictures, the studio behind the feature films Superman Returns, 300, and The Dark Knight, on a live-action Warcraft movie.

IRVINE, California—Blizzard Entertainment Inc. has announced plans for its fourth BlizzCon gaming convention, to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, on Friday, August 21, and Saturday, August 22. BlizzCon is a celebration of the global player communities surrounding Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo universes. In response to the festival's increasing popularity, this year's event has been expanded from three convention halls to four.

"We've been amazed by the incredible response to each of our previous BlizzCon events," said Mike Morhaime, chief executive officer and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment. "We're pleased to be bringing the convention back to Anaheim this year, and we look foward to this new opportunity to meet Blizzard gamers from around the world."

BlizzCon will offer a wide variety of activities throughout the two-day event. In addition to serving as a gathering place for Blizzard Entertainment gaming communities, attendees will be able to enjoy:

• Hands-on play time with upcoming Blizzard Entertainment games.


• Discussion panels with Blizzard Entertainment developers.


• Competitive and casual tournaments for players to showcase their talents.


• Community contests with great prizes.


• Commemorative merchandise based on Blizzard Entertainment's game universes.


• A silent auction.


• More exciting activities and attractions to be announced.