SOE hooks up with Asian partner

Sony Online Entertainment and Gamania Digital Entertainment, both publishers and developers of online games, have announced a strategic alliance for the Asian Pacific region. The initial purpose of the joint venture is to assist in the localization, launch, and operation of SOE's upcoming EverQuest II in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, and other East Asian territories. Gamania was the Asian publisher for both the original EverQuest and NCsoft's original massively multiplayer role-playing game lineage. The company specializes in supporting payment systems and infrastructure of MMOGs in the region. The joint venture will also investigate potential opportunities for the two companies in China. Sony will invest in the partnership via its new Taiwan-based subsidiary, SOE Asia.