Shanghai, China - Chinese online game operator The9 Limited announced on Monday that it will establish a joint venture with Korean game developer T3 Entertainment -- creators of the "Audition" massively multiplayer online game -- to further strengthen their partnerships in the areas of game development and publishing. Through the joint venture, The9 will be more proactively involved in the development of "Audition 2" and other titles, both for China and other international markets.

Shanghai, China - The9, an online game operator in China, announced on Wednesday that it has made an equity investment of $38 million in Korean game developer G10 Entertainment.

Shanghai - Chinese online game operator The9 said on Friday that Blizzard Entertainment's "World of Warcraft" massively multiplayer online game has achieved a record of 1 million concurrent players in China. The first expansion pack for the game, "The Burning Crusade," launched in mainland China on Sept. 6.

Shanghai - Chinese online games operator The9 has announced that it will acquire a 50% stake in Microsoft's MSN China for $200 million.

Redwood City, Calif. - Video game developer and publisher Electronic Arts announced on Monday that it has made a $167 million equity investment in Chinese online game operator The9, which will give EA an approximate 15% stake in the company.

Los Angeles - Following a report in a Chinese business newspaper stating it had agreed to purchase a 19% stake in Chinese online game distributor The9, Electronic Arts has denied that such a deal has been signed, Reuters reported.

Seoul, South Korea - Korean online game developer Webzen announced on Tuesday an agreement with The9, to publish its massively multiplayer game "Huxley" in China. Webzen expects to gain an estimated $35 million from the deal, which it says is the largest for a Korean game developer for a single game in a single country. "Huxley" is slated to launch in Korea later this year; no launch date for China was announced.

Shanghai, China - Chinese online game operator The9 said on Tuesday that it has signed an amended agreement with Vivendi's Blizzard Entertainment, to additionally publish the recently released expansion pack to Blizzard's "World of Warcraft" massively multiplayer online game in mainland China. The companies did not say when "The Burning Crusade" would launch in China.

Seoul, South Korea - Korean online game developer and publisher Gravity announced on Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with China's The9, to license its massively multiplayer game "Emil Chronicle Online" for play in mainland China. Gravity also recently signed an agreement with Infocomm Asia Holdings, to license the game in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Gravity expects total revenue from "Emil Chronicle Online" in the territories to amount to over $6.8 million over the terms of the agreements.

Seoul, South Korea - Korean online game developer and publisher Gravity announced on Wednesday that it has signed agreements to distribute its "Ragnarok Online 2" massively multiplayer online title in China, Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong. Gravity said the deals, reached with a subsidiary of The9 in China and Gamania Digital Entertainment in the other territories, will generate at least $31.5 million for the term of the contracts.