According to an article in the Seattle * Post-Intelligencer, Vans * will feature "Xbox Lounges" in its 11 US skateparks * starting November 23rd 2002 *. And unlike most of us, who have to pay to get video game systems, Vans received an undisclosed sum from Microsoft * in return.

Each lounge combines four 27-inch RCA flat-screen televisions, four Xbox consoles, 16 controllers, headsets and sofas into a rich home-theatre gaming system. The systems will initially feature Tony Hawk's Pro Skater *, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell and Microsoft's own MechAssault and Blinx, with new games appearing monthly.

The lounges will be at Vans Skateparks in Orlando, Florida *; Woodbridge, Virginia *.; Orange, Ontario * and Milpitas, California *; Moorestown, New Jersey *; Phoenix, Arizona *; Novi, Michican; Westminster, Colorado *; Buford, Georgia *; and Houston, Texas *.

In business since 1966, Vans Inc. began as a shoe company whose footwear became popular with California skateboarders and others. After having survived a bankruptcy in the mid-1980s, it was bought by an investment banking firm, and subsequently expanded into a bevy of new markets including apparel, snowboard boots, bindings and products for wakeboarding, skateboarding, surfing, BMX, snowboarding, and freestyle * motocross. And of course, skateparks.

Microsoft launched their Xbox gaming system seeking to embellish their traditional profit sources of Microsoft Office and the Windows operating system with income from the lucrative video game market. To that end, the Redmond software giant has been actively taking increased interest in marketing to the action sports segment, as evidenced by their existing partnership in Vans Triple Crown * Series and their sponsorship of other skateboarding, motocross and surfing competitions.

Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in about 1976,Microsoft is the largest software company in the world, and its products dominate the Operating System and Office Software markets. Microsoft is primarily focused on producing software but has expanded into an array of related markets including cell phones, keyboards, optical mice, and of course video games and video game systems.

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