GameStop is refocusing their brand a bit with the implementation of tournament-focused stores. The first is a 4,000 sq. ft. beast in San Jose, CA that features 24 networked kiosks. GameStop hopes to hold tournaments here during most weekends that lead up to quarterly national-level events. In fact, the San Jose location will already be throwing their first event on December 15th. The Madden NFL 08 champ will receive a $1000 gift certificate.

All in all, this sounds like a fantastic idea on GameStop's part. Local tournaments for the average gamer are an excellent way to bring the community together (while selling them some product, of course). We'll be interested to see how many such stores GameStop actually opens. Chances are, the San Jose location's success or failure will have a lot to say on the matter.

GameStop Opens "Tournament Store" [nextgeneration]

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