GAME to sell Xbox Live digital content in stores

European retailer GAME has announced that it has inked a partnership with Microsoft that will see it sell digital content from Xbox Live to customers in stores.

The content includes downloadable games and other extras and will be sold individually as cards - as opposed to generic points - and is available now in 40 stores across the UK as part of a trial, with prices starting at £2.04.

"Our teams will be selling digital Xbox Live games alongside the consoles, packaged games and accessories that have been the foundation of our stores for the last 20 years," GAME Group commercial strategy director Tricia Brennan told GamesIndustry.biz. "Last year we boosted our range with other digital cards including iTunes, Zynga and Facebook credits, and this year we look forward to giving customers even more to choose from."

And Neil Thompson, Microsoft's GM for retail sales and marketing in the UK and Ireland, added in a statement: "We're excited to offer this program to UK consumers as we see this as an innovative opportunity to work with GAME in delivering Xbox 360 owners yet another highly attractive choice at retail."

The move comes as retailers seek new ways of participating in otherwise unattainable digital revenues, while Microsoft will hope to bring greater awareness of its Xbox Live content to GAME's in-store shoppers - at price points that may encourage more impulse purchases.