Take Control

Control | February 9th 2005 - For immediate release

A new name is set to appear on high streets in 2005 - Control promises to change the way in which videogames are sold in the UK. Ambitious growth plans, solid funding and support from a select group of games industry veterans will see Control challenge for a significant share of the £2bn videogames market. A number of stores will open later this year with more planned to follow.

Control's strong management team is headed by retail best-practice guru Richard Hammond, author of Smart Retail (Pearson Education 2003) 'I'm a gamer but a hardcore retailer too - our plans are based on changing the relationship between gamers and game sellers, tipping the balance back in the favour of players, but doing so in a commercially viable way. We will open great places to buy videogames from - stores that customers will want to return to.'

Hammond adds 'Retail is literally the shop-window for videogaming and we intend to represent our industry in a new and very positive way. We will be taking games retail somewhere new and on the way we are prepared to shake-up some of the old conventions for the benefit of us all.'

More details on the Control concept will be made available during 2005. We're looking forward to bringing them to you as we can.

Additional quotes

"Entering this market is a head and a heart thing for me. As a gamer - my heart tells me that the experience of shopping for videogames could be better, and as a businessman - my head is telling me that this sector is among a very small handful of breakout opportunities in retail."

"We've spent more than a year preparing the groundwork for this project. In that time the team has considered every aspect of the videogames retail business and most importantly - what customers actually want from us. Our response to what we've learned during that process won't just be seen in-store."

Notes for Editors

For further information please contact Managing Director Richard Hammond - Email: [email protected] Telephone: 07971 600 936

Issued by Control Retail Limited - Circle House, 39 Normandy Road, St. Albans, AL3 5PR