£10,000 Xbox Student challenge

Scream!

Microsoft launched a new national tournament today, aimed at locating the best student Xbox gamer - which they plan to seek in chains of Scream pubs and bars up and down the country. Regional heats will kick-off this week at the thirty-or-so Scream venues enlisted, and will challenge gamers to produce a fastest lap record on Project Gotham Racing 2. Apparently, Microsoft has already decked the pubs out with Xbox podules, so all competitors need do is turn up and stick their name down for the challenge. The grand final will be held in Manchester come March, at which one lucky student gamer will walk away with a cheque worth £10,000. Here's the venues and dates for the regional events:

Aberdeen Bobbin Fri 30 Jan
Birmingham Gosta Green Fri 30 Jan
Cambridge Graduate Fri 13 Feb
Canterbury Penny Theatre Mon 9 Feb
Cardiff (1) George Wed 11 Feb
Cardiff (2) Woodville Mon 9 Feb
Cheltenham Pulpit Mon 16 Feb
Coventry Aardvark Fri 6 Feb
Derby Friary Wed 4 Feb
Durham New Inn Wed 4 Feb
Edinburgh Crags Thurs 29 Jan
Glasgow (1) Curlers Wed 28 Jan
Glasgow (2) Hall Sat 31 Jan
Huddersfield Warehouse Monday 2 Feb
Hull Haworth Arms Tue 3 Feb
Lancaster Friary Mon 9 Feb
Leeds Library Fri 13 Feb
Leicester (1) Loaded Dog Tue 27 Jan
Leicester (2) Soar Point Tue 3 Feb
Lemington Spa Robbins Well Sat 31 Jan
Liverpool Hope & Anchor Thurs 5 Feb
London Rocket Sun 15 Feb
Loughborough Phantom Sun 1 Feb
Manchester (1) Footage Thur 12 Feb
Manchester (2) Queen of Hearts Wed 11 Feb
Middlesborough Camels Hump Sat 7 Feb
Newcastle Upon Tyne Hancock Thurs 5 Feb
Nottingham Horn in Hand Thurs 29 Jan
Oxford Pub Oxford Thur 12 Feb
Plymouth Roundabout Tue 10 Feb
Portsmouth Registry Wed 11 Feb
Preston Adelphi Sun 8 Feb
Reading Pavlov's Dog Mon 16 Feb
Sheffield Cavendish Monday 2 Feb
Southampton Avondale Sat 14 Feb

By Luke Guttridge