Just read on gi.biz this morning that HMV are to open an in-store gaming zone in their flagship Edinburgh store this Friday, backed by Microsoft and the Xbox 360:

The 2000 square foot space will house 27 Xbox 360 consoles and Samsung hi-def TV screens, offering multiplayer for up to 16 players on the network as well as full access to the Xbox Live service.

Access to the area will be through a membership scheme, with customers paying GBP 5 for three hours play. The retailer also plans to run regular competitions with Guitar Hero III, Project Gotham Racing 4 and Halo 3 events already planned.

“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,” commented Tim Ellis, head of games at HMV.

“This is a really exciting project, which I feel will generate a great deal of interest.

“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,” he added.

Lets hope its a success then, would be great to see this at my local store :)