London-based gamers can now try out all the latest games on top-end hardware, with the arrival of the Gamerbase gaming zone, freshly opened in HMV's Picadilly Circus branch. Gamerbase is backed by Dell and Intel.

The new 'zone', a rather large and decidedly appealing space, features several XPS gaming rigs, complete with top-end GeForce 8800 XT cards; not to mention some 360's in case you fancy going all 'mainstream'.

Use of the Gamerbase is free from any membership, however you will need to fork-out between 2.50 and 4 GBP per hour. Time is purchased in advance but if you don't use it all you can save it for next time.

"The way people discover and enjoy games is showing signs of broadening out, and we want to be at the forefront of this process so we can continue to cater to all tastes and demands as they develop," beams HMV's head of games Tim Ellis. "The Gamerbase gaming centre is located right next to the store's Games department, so gamers can buy or pre-order a PC title straight away if they've had a great experience playing it."

The zone will be open the same hours as the store. More as we get it.

By Luke Guttridge