(Yicai Global) June 30 -- British game developer and distributor Jagex Ltd. is set to become a wholly-owned affiliate of Shanghai Fukong Interactive Entertainment Co. [SHA:600634].  

Fukong Interactive Entertainment said yesterday that it intends to buy a 49-percent stake in Shanghai Hongtou Network Technology Co. for USD329,000 (CNY2.23 million). After the transaction is complete, Fukong Interactive Entertainment will own Hongtou Network Technology, whose core assets include Jagex.

Fukong Interactive Entertainment bought 51 percent of Hongtou Network's equity last year and transformed it from a building materials firm into a game and entertainment company.

Online fantasy adventure game maker Jagex is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hongtou Network. The RuneScape series is Jagex's flagship product and boasts more than 250 million registered users, most of whom are from Europe, North America and Oceania. Two million play the game every month, and millions watch the game on social networking platforms.