Gaming Starts at Future Shop: Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA IV) Launches April 29 at Midnight

    The most anticipated gaming release of 2008 will light up many Future
    Shop stores across Canada at 12:01 AM for 1 hour on April 29

    BURNABY, BC, April 21 /CNW/ - Grand Theft Auto IV will pull into Future
Shop, Canada's largest electronics retailer, starting at 12:01 AM on April 29.
Future Shop has announced it will open 107 of its 131 stores for one hour at
midnight for the launch of GTA IV. All Quebec stores and the Sudbury Future
Shop will open early on Tuesday at 8AM on April 29. Grand Theft Auto IV has
received rave reviews and is expected to break all previously set first week
sales for a video game debut. Grand Theft Auto IV is anticipated to generate
over $400 million dollars in the first week of sales in North America.
    "Future Shop is really excited about the launch of GTA IV," said Michelle
Grawe, Director of Entertainment. "There is a lot of anticipation from our
customers for this game and we want to offer it first by opening our stores at
midnight where possible. We've opened previously at midnight for high caliber
releases and we expect that this will be the biggest one to date."

    Midnight Opening Details:

    When:  12:01 AM on April 29 for 1 hour at all Future Shop stores (except
           in Quebec & Sudbury)
           Quebec Stores and Sudbury will open early at 8 AM on Tuesday,
           April 29

    Why:   Most anticipated release of 2008; thousands of customers are
           expected in stores across Canada for the midnight release

    Media are invited to attend any Future Shop location for the launch on
April 29. Photos and trailer are available by request.

    Special launch parties will occur in four major Canadian centres on April
28 from 9 PM until midnight. Each launch party will feature a dee-jay and
demos of the latest PlayStation games. The four launch parties will occur in:
Toronto (Yonge and Dundas store), Vancouver (Broadway store), Calgary
(Northland store), and Edmonton (Calgary Trail South). Customers will have a
chance to win a prize of a PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) at each of the four
locations.
    Grand Theft Auto IV is available by pre-order in-store and online and is
rated M for Mature; the game will only be sold to those 17 years and older.
Any customer purchasing Grand Theft Auto IV in-store at midnight will receive
a free "GTA IV" baseball cap (while supplies last).

    About Grand Theft Auto IV

    Developed by Rockstar, Grand Theft Auto IV will be available for the
Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game systems. For each system there is a
regular version plus a very limited Special Edition. Both include the full
game, plus the Special Edition comes with special packaging, duffle bag, art
book and CD soundtrack.

    About Future Shop

    With 131 stores across the country and the nation's premier web store
(www.futureshop.ca), Burnaby, BC-based Future Shop is Canada's largest
retailer and e-tailer of consumer electronics. Future Shop and its more than
10,000 employees are dedicated to providing customers with expert advice about
home and entertainment technology both in-store and online. The company hosts
an online community forum for technology beginners and tech-savvy experts to
exchange ideas, reviews, tips and other consumer electronics information
(www.futureshopforums.ca). To help keep used electronics out of the landfills,
Future Shop has an in-store recycling program for seven types of products (see
www.futureshop.ca/green). As a proud corporate citizen, Future Shop is
committed to employee volunteerism and supporting non-profits organizations
dedicated to transforming local youth into Future Leaders (see
www.futureshop.ca/community).

For further information: Cheryl Grant, Communications Specialist, Future
Shop, (604) 412-1008, or chgrant@futureshop.com; Susan Kirk, Snr
Communications Manager, Future Shop, (604) 412-1226, or skirk@futureshop.com;
In Quebec, Thierry Lopez, Marketing Manager, (514) 905-7713, or
tlopez@futureshop.com