Stormy Ascent is a previously unreleased level from the original Crash Bandicoot™ game and starting today is available for free for 30 days to owners of Crash Bandicoot™ N. Sane Trilogy. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Stormy Ascent is a previously unreleased level from the original Crash Bandicoot™ game and starting today is available for free for 30 days to owners of Crash Bandicoot™ N. Sane Trilogy. (Graphic: Business Wire)

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Crash™ fans are in for the ultimate challenge today! Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), announced during the Crash Bandicoot™ Then and Now panel at Comic-Con International: San Diego that new content is available for Crash Bandicoot™ N. Sane Trilogy. Stormy Ascent — a previously unfinished and unreleased level from the original Crash Bandicoot™ game — is now available for free1. Also announced today is the upcoming The Crash Bandicoot™ Files: How Willy the Wombat Sparked Marsupial Mania, a hardcover book from Dark Horse Comics featuring the original design document for Crash Bandicoot. Additionally, fans can now send each other Crash Bandicoot emojis by downloading the free CrashMoji™ app.

“The fan response to Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy has been tremendous with the title landing at number one worldwide in physical game sales, even though it was only on shelves for two days in June.2 We’re thrilled that there seems to be a whole lot of people out there who love Crash as much we do,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision. “To thank Crash fans, we’re excited to release Stormy Ascent, the infamous unfinished level from the original game for the very first time. And it’s free to fans for the first month. We look forward to watching some epic speed runs online!”

The notorious Stormy Ascent level was not finished and not released in the original Crash Bandicoot. Activision’s team at Vicarious Visions completed it, and for the first time, players who own the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy can get their hands on the full level by downloading it from the PlayStation® Store free of charge for 30 days1 starting today through August 19. Stormy Ascent will challenge even the most hardcore Crash fans with vial-throwing lab assistants, flying birds, retracting steps, iron spikes, and much more!

“Finally seeing Crash fans have the chance to play Stormy Ascent all these years later is very exciting,” said Shuhei Yoshida, President of PlayStation’s Worldwide Studios. “Activision has done an amazing job remastering the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, and fans are really going to enjoy this never-before-released Crash level. I can’t wait to see the leader boards light up, because even speed runners will be in for a tough challenge with this one.”

Also today, Dark Horse Comics confirmed the upcoming availability of The Crash Bandicoot Files: How Willy the Wombat Sparked Marsupial Mania. The original design document for Crash Bandicoot, the 150-page hardcover book features original concept illustrations and insight into how Crash Bandicoot came to be the iconic videogame character he is today. Featuring a foreword from Crash’s creators, the book will delight fans when it debuts in March 2018.

“We are proud to partner with Activision to share The Crash Bandicoot Files with Crash Bandicoot fans next year,” said Ian Tucker, editor, Dark Horse Comics. “We think fans will love seeing how Crash Bandicoot evolved from wombat concept to bandicoot execution, all in a beautiful hardcover book filled with never-before-seen art and filled with insightful commentary from the designers.”

Additionally, Loot Crate confirmed today that they are celebrating some of the greatest treasure hunts in gaming with great Bandicoot Booty not available anywhere else — an exclusive Crash Bandicoot T-shirt. Featured in the July crate is a postcard-style T-shirt straight from N. Sanity Beach that features fan-favorite character Aku Aku. Fans can get one by ordering before 9 p.m. PT on July 27 at lootcrate.com/gaming.

Crash mania continues with today’s pre-order kick-off for a new Crash figure. This 9” vinyl, painted statue is created by First4Figures, and fans can pre-order it at Best Buy for $69.99. The new Crash figure will be available at retail starting in early September.

To round out the Crash Bandicoot Comic-Con experience, fans can share the craziness of Crash Bandicoot with CrashMoji, the new emoji and sticker app available this week. Fans can type messages directly in the app to share as small emojis or take crazy selfies with the Sticker Cam and then add Crash, Aku Aku and more to the photos. Install the keyboard to use in iMessage, Whats App, WeChat and more or add the included Sticker Pack to iMessage to use without having to cut and paste! CrashMoji is available this week from the App Store and the Google Play Store for free download.

Crash Bandicoot, one of the most famous game characters in history, is back with the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. Featuring beautiful remastered HD graphics, fans can play as Crash or his sister Coco in the three games that started it all: Crash Bandicoot™, Crash Bandicoot™ 2: Cortex Strikes Back and Crash Bandicoot™ 3: Warped. With more than 100 levels to explore, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy takes advantage of PlayStation® 4 features and offers brand-new lighting, animations, textures, models and recreated cinematics — all in dazzling “N. Hanced Fur-K” and PS4™ Pro HD.

For the first time, fans can enjoy seeing how they stack up against their friends and other players around the world via online leaderboards. Full analog stick support and a unified save system and checkpoint system will make it easier for new fans to enjoy the classic adventures, while improved bonus levels and time trials in this epic trilogy will challenge the hardest of the ‘Coot core!

Activision and Vicarious Visions are honoring the heritage of Crash throughout the trilogy in a variety of ways, including a fully remastered game soundtrack packed with all the didgeridoos, xylophones and thumpin’ bass lines you can handle, as well as newly recorded dialogue from some of the familiar voice actors who appear in the original Crash Bandicoot games, including Jess Harnell, Lex Lang and Debi Derryberry, among others.

Developed by Vicarious Visions, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is available now on PS4™ and PS4™ Pro for the suggested retail price of $39.99. For more information about Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, please visit www.crashbandicoot.com or follow @CrashBandicoot on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements with respect to the expected release dates and times, pricing, features and functionality of the Crash Bandicoot Stormy Ascent level, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’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 Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing 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 Activision Publishing 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.

© 2017 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CRASH, CRASH BANDICOOT and CRASHMOJI are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

1 The download of Stormy Ascent requires Crash Bandicoot™ N. Sane Trilogy. After 30 days, the price will be $2.99.

2 Across all console platforms, according to the NPD Group, GfK, GSD and Activision Blizzard internal estimates.