SOE announced their recent partnership with Gamania - a pan-Asian online gaming leader to better deliver SOE online products to Asian players.  Initially this will lead to the release of EQII in several Asian countries.  Here is the official press release:

Taipei, Taiwan - July 23, 2004 - Gamania Digital Entertainment Inc. (Gamania), a pan-Asia industry-leading publisher and developer of online interactive entertainment content, and Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming, today announced what is potentially the largest global strategic alliance in the history of online gaming. The alliance of Gamania and SOE will include four primary undertakings: establishing a joint venture, Asia Pacific products operation, core technology transfer, and potential investment in China. This international collaboration of industry leaders will further solidify Gamania's leading position in the pan-Asian market, as well as satisfying SOE's global strategic planning, all together bringing a new level of influential elements to the global online gaming market. The initial task of the strategic alliance will be to assist in the launch and operation of the culturalized EverQuest® II (EQII) in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, as well as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines to support Gamania as the publishing and operational licensee for EQII in the aforementioned territories.