Now, a room with 10 gaming PCs might not sound like a lot. (It won't compare to the Gfinity Arena in London, for instance.) But the space, however small, could serve as a template for other GAME stores in the UK, turning them into venues that combine both commerce and tournament play. The model would be similar to Games Workshop, a British retailer that allows visitors to both buy and play its tabletop games in store.

"The new space supports (our) ambition to become a leading provider of eSports in the UK," Mutiplay CEO Craig Fletcher said, "and we're excited to announce this first step in a wider strategy to add value to the retail experience at GAME." In short, it's the first but certainly not the last.