Webzen signs $13 million publishing deal with The 9

Korean development studio Webzen has signed a deal with publisher The 9 that will bring massively multiplayer online role-playing game Soul of the Ultimate Nation to China.

The deal has been valued at USD 13 million, and Webzen will also receive 22 per cent of royalty revenues for the first three years that the game is up and running in China.

"Weâre quite pleased with this first deal, which is the result of a whole lot of investment and effort,â said Webzen's Nam Ju Kim.

"Along with China, we have also been discussing the Soul of the Ultimate Nation service with companies in Europe and other areas of the world. We are confident that we will continue to get great results."

The 9 CEO Zhu Jun added: "The signing of this contract has taken the relationship between the two companies to another level, and weâll be proving our operational capabilities once again with Soul of the Ultimate Nation."

"After completing its localisation and stabilisation, weâll be in the testing phase by the end of 2006."