The agreement calls for Shanda to develop, distribute and operate an online casual game based on the magical worlds of Disney and featuring some of Disney's most popular animated characters.

The game, which will be developed for a broader demographic than traditional online games, as well as China's burgeoning segment of female online gamers, will be available in China for open beta in the spring of 2007.

"The market for online games in China is large and growing, and it was important for us to find the right partner. We're pleased to have found that in Shanda. Disney's rich content library, combined with Shanda's capabilities as a leading online game operator, will bring a new, unique and fun experience for the online game consumer. We actively look to bring more of our content to the online interactive entertainment market in China," said WDIG executive vice president and managing director, international Mark Handler.

"The Disney brand and its lineup of animated characters are already popular in China, and through this agreement we bring this well-known content to China's online game community in the form of an exciting new casual game. We remain firmly committed to providing our users with new and compelling entertainment content that will keep their online experience fresh and enjoyable, and we believe the addition of Disney's wholesome content will further broaden our user demographic, thus making a significant contribution to the implementation of our home strategy. We look forward to a successful collaboration with the Walt Disney Internet Group and are excited about bringing Disney's content to China's online game community," said Shanda chairman and CEO Tianqiao Chen.

"China is a priority for the entire company, and this announcement is part of our strategy to expand our presence here. We have a huge competitive advantage, thanks to the strength of the Disney brand, which is embraced and sought-after around the world. The combination of Shanda's strong capability in developing and operating online games with Disney's expertise in providing compelling content breaks new ground in China, as this will be yet another way for consumers to interact with and experience the magic of Disney," said The Walt Disney Company (China) managing director Stanley Cheung.