Korean game developer Smilegate Entertainment said Thursday it has signed a $500 million exclusive publishing agreement with Oriental Shiny Star for the upcoming “Crossfire 2” online shooting game in China.

Qihoo 360 Technology also announced the deal Monday in a NASDAQ filing.

Oriental Shiny Star is an affiliate of System Link Corporation, a joint venture between Qihoo 360 Technology, a leading Chinese gaming platform operator, and System Link Corporation, a game developer also based in China.

The new license agreement allows Oriental Shiny Star to publish “Crossfire 2,” the sequel to Smilegate’s global mega-hit game “Crossfire,” in mainland China for five years.

“Even though ‘Crossfire 2’ is under development, the latest deal has proved the game’s strong brand value,” said Yang Dong-ki, head of Smilegate Entertainment.

“We will continue ramping up efforts to expand the hit game as cultural content.”

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