Initial heats will be held in 50 GAME stores across the length and breadth of Britain. Entrants can opt to play an exclusive demo of the game and register their scores via a special form available in-store. Alternatively they can pre-order a copy of Pro Evolution Soccer 2 for £1.99 (redeemable against the full price of the game) and receive a copy of the demo to take home before entering his or her best scores.

All forms will be processed between September 30th-October 13th, with the best 128 players selected to take part in regional finals to be held in GAME's Blackburn, Nottingham, Bristol and Oxford Street branches between October 28th-31st

Every player who makes it to the Regional Final will receive a special 'goodie' bag containing Konami games, copies of CVG, and merchandise from UMBRO - Konami's long-term partner in the creation and promotion of the Pro Evolution Soccer series. They will then take part in a series of knock out matches aimed at finding eight finalists who will battle it out in the grand final in November.

The ultimate winner will walk away with £1000 of products courtesy of GAME, UMBRO gear including 'Xai' football boots and training gear, a copy of every game that Konami release during the year, and a trophy. Runners-up will walk away with UMBRO football gear and merchandise.

"Pro Evolution Soccer 2 is such an anticipated game and we're looking forward to one of GAME's customers being crowned as THE soccer champ." commented Jo Taylor, PR Manager for GAME. "Every one of our 330 stores will have demo copies of the game available to customers who pre-order and pay a £1.99 redeemable deposit." She added: "We're expecting a high playing standard, so customers will need to practise on their demo and then come back into any one of the 50 participating stores to enter."

"The quest to find the nation's greatest Pro Evolution Soccer 2 star kicks off today, and we are anticipating a great response to the tournament," commented Jon Murphy, UK PR and Marketing Manager for Konami of Europe. "The ECTS trade show proved that interest in the game is at an all-time high, and we expect a number of hard-fought games before we finally crown our champion."

Pro Evolution Soccer 2 will be launched for PlayStation 2 in November; price TBC. For more information please contact Steve at Rocket Media Ltd on 0207 437 6100 or email steve@rocketmedia.co.uk

*Participating stores: Glasgow Buchanan Street, Dundee Murraygate, Sunderland High Street, Middlesborough Linthorpe Road, Gateshead Russell Way, Sheffield Meadowhall, Leeds Schofield Centre, Liverpool Clayton Square, Manchester Trafford Centre, Nottingham Listergate, Stoke-on-Trent The Potteries, Chester Forgate Street, Blackburn Market Way, Bolton Newport Street, Bury Millgate Centre, Wigan Standish Gate, London Oxford Street, Bournemouth Avenue Centre, Southampton West Quay, Reading The Oracle, Guildford High Street, Wimbledon Broadway, Bluewater Upper Rose Gallery, Colchester Culver Street, High Wycombe Octagon Centre, Hemel Hempstead, The Marlowes, Luton Arndale Centre, Woking Peacocks Centre, Edgeware Broadwalk Centre, Enfield Palace Gardens, Chatham Pentagon Centre, Canterbury High Street, Birmingham Pallasades, West Bromwich Sandwell Centre, Bedford Midland Road, Wolverhampton, Dudley Street, Nuneaton Queens Road, Cambridge Lion Yard Centre, Northampton Abingdon Street, Watford Harlequins Centre, Peterborough Queensgate Centre, Bristol 30-32 Merchant Street, Yeovil Quedam Centre, Winchester High Street, Weymouth Bond Street Centre, Plymouth 81-83 New George Street, Fareham Westbury Square, Exeter High Street, Truro Pyder Street, Barnstaple High Street.