We investigate a new chain of video game stores that provides heaps of consoles for people to test the latest games in-store.

At first, the concept of setting up gaming systems inside stores for customers to play sounded like a great idea.  It gave people the chance to try out all the new, really cool games and if customers liked them, they could just pick up a copy of the game right in the store.  Then reality hit.

Annoying little kids would take over the controls to these gaming systems and never let anybody else play until their parents told them it was time to go.  Then they would be replaced by another one and the vicious cycle continued.  And the cycle keeps on today with most customers merely became spectators of these in-store gaming systems. 

But a new chain of video game stores has the solution to the little problem of not enough consoles to go around for an abundance of customers – Have more consoles!

Play N Trade is the store in question and they’ve taken to the simple, but mostly untested concept of providing people with more systems who visit the shop.  They offer a total of eight flat screen television all boasting game consoles along with them.  This makes sure that everybody will be given an opportunity to play and is a definite improvement upon the single console concept.  

And the best part about the whole deal is that people can still play as long as they wish.  As the owner of a Knoxville, Tennessee store named Scott Barrett says, “You can play as long as you want.  There’s no time limit.”  Barrett hopes to create an environment at Play N Trade where people can truly get a deep understanding of each game on display before they buy it. 

But Scott Barrett is more than just some entrepreneur trying to make a quick buck off the gaming industry as he stated, “Video games are a pretty amazing concept.  It crosses all barriers.  We have people coming in that are five years old and up to retirement age.  It reminds me of the old board games of the 60s and 70s.  It brings that concept into the living room once again.”

Besides just offering people multiple chances to play games at their stores, Play N Trade also delivers some nostalgic content to video game players as well.  People can still find games for systems like the Nintendo 64 around and Barrett says some of this stuff is among his best sellers.

It sounds like Play N Trade offers customers quite a variety of unique concepts and hopefully a branch of it finds you someday, if it hasn’t already.