• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, October 14, 2014

Activision’s Blizzard Entertainment has shifted its North American traditional media buying duties to OMD West without a review, according to sources.

With the move, Blizzard has consolidated its North American media assignment with OMD, which won much of the business in 2011. That's when it was also awarded the main Activision account for the region, with estimated spending of $150 million.

MEC continues to handle media duties for both Activision and Blizzard in regions outside of North America.

Blizzard’s U.S. media spending in 2013 was about $13 million, according to Kantar, with some $8 million of that allotted to off-line spending and about $5 million for Internet display and paid search. That’s down sharply from 2012, when the gaming unit spent $44 million with $26 million allotted to traditional and $18 million for Internet display and paid search.

Sources said Blizzard will be ramping up its spending as it gears up for the launch next month of the latest installment of its World of Warcraft franchise, Warlords of Draenor. The debut of Draenor is set for November 13.

A Blizzard executive didn’t return a query concerning the agency move. The agencies declined comment.