THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS AS ESC EBAY SITE GOES LIVE

Friday 11 March 2005/... The video games industry's official charity, the ESC (Entertainment Software Charity), has just relaunched its eBay web with a site which enables consumers to buy current, rare and limited edition computer and video games software and merchandise whilst helping the causes it supports.

The new site offers a spectacular array of goods including The Incredibles and Thunderbirds merchandise, signed Liverpool football shirt and ball, signed Arsenal shirt, limited edition T-shirts and of course a vast number of games covering all formats. There is something for everyone but would be bidders must hurry! These unrepeatable offers are only up for grabs until the auction ends on 20th March 2005.

The ESC eBay shop - located at http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZescfund

- has just gone live with fifteen pages of items, kindly donated by companies within the video and computer games industry. All money raised from winning bids will be donated to the ESC, ensuring that its supported youth charities - which cover education, health and personal development - benefit as much as possible.

"As ever, the support throughout the industry for this new initiative has been nothing short of amazing," says ESC CEO Mark Strachan. "Not only is it raising money for great causes - but it allows consumers to get their hands on certain items that just can't be bought anywhere else. It is a fantastic way of ensuring that everybody wins."

Founded in 2000, the Entertainment Software Charity was created to use the popularity of gaming to help give back to those less fortunate. The not-for-profit charity was established by prominent members of the gaming community to create a dedicated initiative programme to advance young people through play, training and education.

eBay is the world's leading online auction site, handling millions of safe and secure transactions every day. It kindly offers charities their own space within the site, for which it takes no commission.

The ECS eBay site is open now at http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZescfund

About the esc:

Founded in 2000, the entertainment software charity was created to use the popularity of gaming to help give back to those less fortunate. The not-for-profit charity was established by prominent members of the gaming community to create a dedicated initiative programme to advance young people through play, training and education.

The entertainment software charity works with hardware vendors, developers, software publishers, magazine publishers, retailers, distributors and logistics providers, all of whom give their time, input, resources and intellectual properties to help support charities committed to improving the future of young people. The charity is also committed to providing funding for individual schools across the UK in association with the Government's Specialist Schools and Academies initiatives.

For further information please contact:

KATHRYN HUMPHREY

BARRINGTON HARVEY

Tel: 01462 456780

Fax: 01462 456781

Email: Kathryn@bhpr.co.uk

MARK STRACHAN

ESC

Tel: 01458 270204

Email: mark.strachan@v21.me.uk