* Shanda buys Mochi in $60 mln cash and $20 mln equity deal
* Transaction will be Shanda Games second buy this year
SHANGHAI, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Shanda Games <GAME.O> said on Tuesday it will acquire U.S.-based online game company Mochi Media in a deal valued at $80 million, to strengthen Shanda Games' presence outside China.
The transaction, comprising $60 million in cash and $20 million in equity arrangements, is Shanda Games' second acquisition this year.
Shanda Games said on Friday it entered into an agreement to buy Shanghai-based online game developer Goldcool Games.
San Francisco-based Mochi Media runs a platform to distribute online games and has 140 million monthly active users, Shanda Games said in a statement.
"This transaction positions Shanda Games to become a truly global online game media platform," said Shanda Games Chief Executive Officer Diana Li in a statement.
China's online gaming industry grew 30.2 percent to 27.1 billion yuan ($4 billion) in 2009, according to data from research firm iResearch. [ID:nTOE60A01H]
The top game operators of 2009 by market share were Tencent Holdings <0700.HK>, Shanda Games and NetEase.com <NTES.O>.
Shanda Interactive Entertainment <SNDA.O> spun of Shanda Games in a $1 billion initial public offering last year.
The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2010. (Reporting by Melanie Lee; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) ((melanie.lee@thomsonreuters.com; +86 21 6104 1778; Reuters Messaging: melanie.lee.reuters.com@reuters.net)) ((If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)) ($1=6.825 Yuan) Keywords: SHANDA/MOCHI
