IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hoist your accordions and ready your battle-axes, because everyone’s favorite pop parodist is bringing some mandatory fun to BlizzCon®! Blizzard Entertainment today announced that the legendary “Weird Al” Yankovic will be taking the stage on Saturday, November 5 to close out Blizzard’s two-day gaming convention with his epic multimedia rock and comedy live show. While tickets to Blizzard’s two-day gaming convention in Anaheim are sold out, gamers and Weird Al fans around the world can still watch the show live with the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket—available to order now at www.blizzcon.com.

With a catalog of hits spanning 14 studio albums, “Weird Al” Yankovic has delighted and amused fans with his satirical treatments of iconic pop songs, including “Eat It,” “Amish Paradise,” “Smells Like Nirvana,” and “Tacky.” Weird Al’s music has earned him four Grammy Awards, eleven more nominations, four gold records, and six platinum records. His latest album, Mandatory Fun, was released to critical acclaim in 2014 and was the first comedy album in history to debut at #1 on the Billboard charts.

“We’re super excited to close out our tenth BlizzCon with a performance from an epic showman—and fellow geek,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Weird Al has entertained millions of people around the world with his hilarious music, and we’re thrilled that he’s bringing mandatory fun to the show and everyone following along with a Virtual Ticket.”

“I’m very excited to be playing at BlizzCon,” said Al, “because it’ll be one of the few times in my life where a significant percentage of the audience is even nerdier than I am!”

BlizzCon is an epic celebration of Blizzard’s universes and the global player communities that bring them to life. Taking over the Anaheim Convention Center November 4 and 5, this year’s show will be loaded with in-depth developer panels, thrilling esports tournaments, epic contests, and much more.

Though tickets to the convention have already sold out, viewers at home can still join the excitement by ordering the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket ($39.99 USD), which offers comprehensive live online coverage of both days of the event, including Weird Al’s performance on Saturday night. You’ll also be able to watch most of the concert in on-demand videos that will be available within a few days after the show, although some portions may be edited or unavailable. For the best experience, be sure to watch it live!

The Virtual Ticket also comes with a cache of commemorate in-game goodies for a variety of Blizzard games, including a pair of murloc pets in World of Warcraft, a convention-themed Bastion skin for Overwatch, and more.

In addition to the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, DIRECTV customers in the United States have the option to watch the show from home by ordering the BlizzCon 2016 Pay Per View event, priced at $39.99 USD (includes access to the Virtual Ticket online stream).

For more information on BlizzCon 2016, visit www.blizzcon.com.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, 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 twenty-one #1 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.

*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 dates and event plans for BlizzCon 2016 and the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, 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.