Electronic Arts to buy stake in The9: report
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Electronic Arts Inc. (ERTS.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) has reached an agreement with The9 Ltd. (NCTY.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) to buy a 19 percent stake in the Chinese online game operator for about $200 million, a local newspaper said on Saturday.
EA, the world's top video game publisher, and The9 have reached a basic agreement, Shanghai Securities News reported.
A representative from The9 was not immediately available for comment.
Shanghai-based The9 also obtained the exclusive right to run EA's casual game FIFA Online in China at the end of March, the newspaper added.
A deal would potentially give The9 -- which offers Blizzard Entertainment's wildly popular "World of Warcraft" online game in China -- rights to run more sports-themed casual games from EA, the paper quoted industry insiders as saying.
Meanwhile, a deal would grant EA an indirect way into China's online game market indirectly, the paper added.
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
Help us advance this story. Provide relevant links or share your insights using our comment box. Please be considerate and help us by reporting any abuse you find. Reuters will delete comments that don't meet community standards.
Have a correction to this article? Email the editors
Cash injection
Palin power abuse scandal