Launch of cutting-edge racing game from Codemasters Studios sees hardcore fans dash to zavvi’s Oxford Street store to buy their copy.

Friday 30th May/… Six deluxe supercars drew the attention of huge crowds on a packed London street this morning as they screeched to a halt outside zavvi’s Oxford Street store to pick up a copy of the critically-acclaimed racing video game, Race Driver: GRID from Codemasters®. The six professional drivers in their full racing garb brought traffic to a standstill as they leapt out of their supercars just so that they could grab a copy of the game on launch day, despite the risk of their cars being towed away.

Pushing past the queues, the race drivers picked up a copy of Codemasters’ Race Driver: GRID and either an Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® or PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system to play it on. Their motivation was to experience for themselves what critics have been dubbing the most realistic racing experience yet seen in a video game. With game and console in hand, the mysterious race drivers briefly stopped for photographs with the stunned crowds gathered around their vehicles before jumping back into their supercars and roaring off down Tottenham Court Road.

The six supercars that drew the crowds were an Aston Martin DB9 Volante, Aston Martin DB9 Coupe, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Mercedes-Benz SLK55AMG, Range Rover Sport HST and Bentley Continental GT – collectively worth nearly £550,000.

This was just the first stage of the launch activities for Race Driver: GRID at zavvi’s Oxford Street store, which was also the venue for the grand final of the European Fastest Lap Challenge that has seen legions of gamers fiercely competing to set their best time on Spain’s Jarama circuit. The ultimate prize for the winner of the competition was a brand new BMW 3 Series car, worth almost £30,000.

Race Driver: GRID is released today, 30th May (Europe/PAL), on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Games For Windows®. A Nintendo DS edition will follow, please visit www.racedrivergrid.com for more details.