Shanda Games and Square Enix Announce Strategic Partnership

Shanda Games Limited 

16.09.2010 13:20
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FINAL FANTASY Comes to the Chinese Market for the First Time

TOKYO, Sept. 16, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shanda Games Limited ('Shanda Games',
or the 'Company') (Nasdaq:GAME) and Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., today announced a
strategic partnership that will leverage Square Enix's strong game content with
the strength of Shanda Games' broad experience as a leading online game
developer, publisher, and operator in mainland China. The partnership starts
with an exclusive license in mainland China to FINAL FANTASY(r) XIV, a massively
multi-player online role-playing game and the latest installment of the FINAL
FANTASY franchise, which has sold more than 97 million units worldwide. This
will be the first release of a FINAL FANTASY franchise title in mainland China. 

Square Enix Group has identified globalization as one of its key strategic
initiatives and has been developing and offering entertainment content derived
from its global network based in Japan, North America and Europe. The
partnership with Shanda Games will strengthen Square Enix Group's global
business development with a focus on the rapidly-growing Chinese market. 

Shanda Games is focused on creating a global online game platform offering the
most compelling content and services. On the heels of Shanda Games' other
recent successful game launches, the strategic partnership with Square Enix
will further advance its strategy to provide high-quality, diverse and
innovative game content to Chinese gamers and to expand its user base. 

'The media entertainment markets are increasingly becoming more and more global
in nature. Under this environment, we are speeding up our globalization
strategy aimed at transforming our Group into a truly world-class enterprise,'
said Yoichi Wada, president and representative director of Square Enix Holdings
Co., Ltd. 'Through this partnership with Shanda Games, a company with great
success in online game operations in China, we are taking an important step in
increasing the reach of high quality content from the Square Enix Group to even
more customers around the world.' 

'We are excited to have Square Enix as a partner to leverage our capabilities
and synergies for the benefit of both companies,' said Mr. Alan Tan, Chairman
and CEO of Shanda Games. 'Our in-house game development team is well-qualified
to assist in the localization of FINAL FANTASY XIV to the China market, while
our strong sales and marketing capabilities and extensive game operation
platform can provide access to the broad audience of Chinese gamers. Since its
debut in 1987, the FINAL FANTASY franchise has attracted many devoted fans
worldwide and, based on our experience and expertise in the China market, we
are confident in the success of FINAL FANTASY XIV as well as other future
collaborations with Square Enix. We believe our strategic partnership with
Square Enix represents an alliance between leading game companies in Japan and
China, and we look forward to broadening our business through this
partnership.' 

FINAL FANTASY XIV in mainland China will be operated from servers separate from
those servers for the Japanese, North American and European markets. Other
details regarding the launch of FINAL FANTASY XIV in mainland China including
launch timing will be announced at a later date. 

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are
made under the 'safe harbor' provisions of the U.S. Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this announcement that are not
historical facts, including but not limited to statements regarding  the future
benefits brought by the partnership, FINAL FANTASY XIV's prospects in China,
and the Shanda Games' future collaborations with Square Enix, represent only
the Company's current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections and
are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve
various risks and uncertainties. Important risks and uncertainties that could
cause the Company's actual results to be materially different from expectations
include but are not limited to the risk that there is a delay in the
localization of FINAL FANTASY XIV in mainland China, FINAL FANTASY XIV is not
well received by users in mainland China, and FINAL FANTASY XIV fails to meet
the expectations of end users, as well as the risks set forth in the Company's
filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
Company's annual report on Form 20-F. The Company does not undertake any
obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under
applicable law. 

About Shanda Games

Shanda Games Limited (Nasdaq:GAME) is a leading online game developer, operator
and publisher in China. Shanda Games offers a diversified game portfolio, which
includes some of the most popular massively multiplayer online role-playing
games (MMORPGs) and advanced casual games in China, targeting a large and
diverse community of users. Shanda Games manages and operates online games that
are developed in-house, co-developed with world-leading game developers,
acquired through investments or licensed from third parties. For more
information about Shanda Games, please visit http://www.ShandaGames.com. 

About FINAL FANTASY

FINAL FANTASY is one of the best-selling video game franchises in the world.
Since its debut in December 1987, the FINAL FANTASY series, including its
spin-off titles, have sold more than 97 million units worldwide. From the
release of the first FINAL FANTASY, the franchise has continued to offer the
industry's most advanced graphics, highly imaginative worlds and rich stories
as it gains the highest accolades from users around the world. 

About Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

SQUARE ENIX HOLDINGS CO., LTD with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, is a holding
company leading the Square Enix Group with a diverse range of content and
service businesses. The Square Enix Group publishes and distributes
entertainment content under its internationally renowned brands such as SQUARE
ENIX, EIDOS and TAITO. The Square Enix Group includes a global network of
leading development studios located in North America, Europe and Japan. The
Group boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL
FANTASY(r), which has sold over 97 million units worldwide, DRAGON QUEST(r), which
has sold over 54 million units worldwide and TOMB RAIDER(r), which has sold over
35 million units worldwide, together with other well established products and
services. More information on Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. can be found on
the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com 

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. 

 Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix
Holdings Co., Ltd., with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and
distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software
and publications in Asia, North America and Europe. Square Enix brings two of
Japan's best-selling franchises - FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 97 million
units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST(r) which has sold over 54 million units
worldwide - under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential
providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push
the boundaries of creativity and innovation. More information on Square Enix
can be found at http://www.square-enix.com/. 

CONTACT:  Shanda Games Limited
          Ellen Chiu, Investor Relations Director
          Maggie Zhou, Investor Relations Manager
          +86-21-5050-4740 (Shanghai)
          IR@ShandaGames.com

          For Shanda Games Limited
          Taylor Rafferty 
          Savoy Lee, Director (China)
            +852-2167-2005
            savoy.lee@taylor-rafferty.com
          Alan Oshiki, Managing Director (U.S.A.)
            +1-212-232-2354
            alan.oshiki@taylor-rafferty.com

          Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. (Japan)
          Corporate Planning & IR Division
          ccir@square-enix.com

News Source: NASDAQ OMX



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Language:     English
Company:      Shanda Games Limited
              
               
              United States
Phone:        
Fax:          
E-mail:       
Internet:     
ISIN:         US81941U1051
WKN:          
 
End of Announcement                             DGAP News-Service
 
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