Best Buy Helps Open New Worlds to Video Gamers; Broadband and Home Theater Unleash Gaming's Potential

Business Wire, May 18, 2005

MINNEAPOLIS -- It used to be that all you needed to play video games was a quarter and a ride to the arcade. Then consoles allowed you to play in the comfort of your own home. Now a new era of gaming is taking the experience to new heights, and Best Buy is refocusing its stores with the equipment, service and technical support to help gamers take their game to the next level.

Today, gamers can immerse themselves in the action with high definition screens and surround sound. At the same time broadband is connecting players like never before, letting them play against friends across the room, or across the country.

As the experience of gaming evolves, so too is the profile of the gamer. The stereotype of teenage boys playing video games in the basement has given way to a new reality. According to the Entertainment Software Association, the average age of a gamer in the United States is 30, and more than one-third of gamers are women.

"The difference between yesterday's console games and today's gaming is truly revolutionary," said Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies, video games and toys at Best Buy. "As the equipment becomes more sophisticated and gaming becomes more integrated with the home theater experience, we're seeing the audience for these systems continuing to broaden."

Three primary components are lifting gaming to new levels: Broadband, surround sound, and PC upgrades. And, soon, a fourth element will rise in importance: high definition screens.

--Broadband is critical for gamers who want to play against other people online. The newer games allow you to test your skills against other gamers or set up tournaments with friends and family across the country.

--Just as DVD movies have incorporated surround sound to give viewers a theater-like experience in their homes, games are also taking advantage of this technology. With a home theater set-up, gamers can immerse themselves as though they are in the center of all the action.

--PC upgrades are essential to helping gamers experience the enhanced graphics of new games, and the upgrades improve the playability to give users an advantage in the online gaming universe.

--High definition screens have helped take advantage of the enhanced, movie-like graphics of the new games. The importance of high definition will increase with the release of new HD gaming formats that will provide unprecedented clarity and life-like graphics.

"The gaming experience itself is changing," said Hamburger. "It is more social and engaging than ever before. At Best Buy our goal is to help people unlock the full potential of their gaming systems."

Best Buy stores provide in-depth assistance to gamers looking to take their systems up a notch. New experience stations are being rolled out in some stores to let gamers experience the benefits of complete gaming systems for themselves.

Best Buy is also using the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2005 Conference in Los Angeles to demonstrate new gaming technologies and accessories. INSIDE: E3 Presented by Best Buy is an invitation-only event that will feature interactive displays, a celebrity gaming competition featuring past contestants from The Apprentice, and the finals of the Best Buy Electronic Gaming Championship.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) is an innovative Fortune 100 growth company that continually strives to create superior customer experiences. Through more than 780 retail stores across the United States and in Canada, our employees connect customers with technology and entertainment products and services that make life easier and more fun. We sell consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services. A Minneapolis-based company, our operations include: Best Buy, Future Shop, Geek Squad and Magnolia Audio Video. We support our communities through employee volunteerism and grants from The Best Buy Children's Foundation.