Turbine, Shanda Form Strategic Relationship
biz.yahoo.com
Thursday April 21, 10:43 am ET
Leading North American Online Studio and China's Largest Online Games Operator Set to Cooperate in China's Online Gaming Market
WESTWOOD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 21, 2005--Turbine, Inc., a leading publisher of online subscription entertainment, announced today that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited, the largest operator of online games in China. Under the agreement, Shanda and Turbine will cooperate extensively in developing and localizing Turbine's massively multiplayer online role playing games for the Chinese market.
"Shanda has become a gateway into the Chinese online gaming market," said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO, Turbine, Inc. "This agreement signals Turbine's commitment to a long-term presence in China."
China represents one of the world's largest and fastest-growing markets for online games, with International Data Corporation, a market research company, estimating a market valued at $1.3 billion by 2009. Shanda helped pioneer this market and today occupies the leading position as measured by both revenue and total game playing users. In 2004, Shanda had approximately 2.0 million peak concurrent users playing its online games.
"As the largest online games operator in China, we know our end users the best," said Tianqiao Chen, chief executive officer of Shanda. "Through this close cooperation with Turbine, we can bring to our users premium online game offerings from North America that are better adapted for Chinese users' taste and requirements."
About Turbine, Inc.
Turbine, Inc. is a premier producer, publisher and operator of online subscription entertainment and is headquartered in Westwood, Massachusetts. With studios on both coasts of the United States, the company is the largest privately-held online games company in North America. Turbine's catalogue includes some of the most famous online entertainment brands, including Asheron's Call®, Dungeons & Dragons® Online and The Lord of the Rings Online(TM): Middle-Earth(TM) Online. For more information on Turbine and its services, please visit www.turbine.com. |
