GAME opens first in-store eSports zone

High street retailer GAME added an area dedicated to competitive gaming to its Manchester Trafford Centre store.

Announced via its corporate site, GAME has said that this space – which launches today (Thursday, July 7th) – features 10 Overclockers gaming PCs and a VR pod.

GAME is looking to run regular eSports competitions and other social events in this new area for games such as Hearthstone, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, Rocket League and Minecraft.

There’s no word about this coming to other stores, but given GAME’s investment in event and eSports, you can count on a similar zone popping up in locations around the country.

This news follows GAME partnering with PC specialist Overclockersand shelling out 20m for eSports events firm Multiplay.

We are enormously excited to be launching our firstdedicated,permanentin-storeeSportsand competitive gaming zone, providing a new destination for gamers to come together to watch, play, socialise, discover and shop their favourite games,” marketing and insight director Fred Prego said.

For years, we’ve been dedicated to providing competitive gaming events for local gamers in our stores.Now, with thisfirst of its kind space, we can take this to the next level – allowing us todeliver a regular programme of bespokelocaleSportscompetitions and social gamingeventsacross a wide range of eSports and other gaming titles, including Hearthstone, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends and Minecraft."

Multiplay boss Craig Fletcher added: The new space supports the Group’s ambition to become a leading provider of eSports in the UK, and we’re excited to announce this first step in a wider strategy to add value to the retail experience at GAME.

Overclockers, a leader in specialist PC hardware, has been a long-time partner of Multiplay. Together we’re aiming to create the most welcoming and social eSports zone around.”