Shanda (SNDA) has signed a deal with Turbine to bring Dungeons & Dragons Online to China.

Under the agreement, Shanda will hold the exclusive rights in China to operate the MMORPG, starting in the second half of 2005. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"Shanda's leadership position and outstanding reputation with China's online gaming community makes them the ideal partner for introducing Dungeons and Dragons Online to China," said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO, Turbine, Inc. "This agreement reaffirms Turbine's commitment to bring the D&D Online experience to every gamer in China and throughout the world."

China represents one of the world's largest and fastest-growing markets for online games, with IDC estimating a market valued at $1.3 billion by 2009.