HMV is launching a “gaming zone” in its Edinburgh store to promote its videogame sales business, with the possibility of similar setups being established in other stores in the chain.
The store will have 27 Xbox 360 systems running on Samsung hi-def televisions, with full access to Xbox Live. Customers will be allowed access to the area by way of a membership system, which will cost about $10 for three hours of play. Along with regular games, HMV will also be holding going competitions, with plans already in the works for Guitar Hero III, Project Gotham Racing 4 and Halo 3. The store is dedicating 2,000 square feet of floor space to the project.
“Games are now an integral part of the HMV offer, and whether we’re selling them or, as in this case, also making them available on a pay-per-play basis, it’s about getting our customers closer to the things they love, and giving them access to content however they wish to consume it,” said HMV’s Tim Ellis.
“This is a really exciting project, which I feel will generate a great deal of interest,” he said, adding, “If the HMV gaming zone proves a hit, then we’ll consider if there are opportunities to roll out the concept to other stores in the chain.”
