A recruitment firm has played a key role in the launch of this year’s must-have Christmas gift: the new Microsoft Xbox 360 games console.

Yorkshire-based Relay Recruitment has been managing the supply of staff for the Valley Group, which was hired to assemble more than 7,000 retail demonstration units for the console.

But some of the clandestine requirements were more akin to the espionage games the machine is designed to play.

The recruitment process was shrouded in secrecy to prevent details of the Xbox reaching arch-rival Sony, which is due to launch its PlayStation 3 console next year.

Relay managing director Steven Street admits that he faced some unique recruitment challenges in finding staff for the Valley Group.

“Extra workers were needed who could demonstrate both exceptional technical skills and pass incredibly strict vetting, as Valley had committed to punitive confidentiality clauses,” he said.

As part of the recruitment process, applicants had to submit to rigorous reference checks and agree to non-disclosure and right-of-search policies to help protect the product’s secret launch.

“The contract was fulfilled in total secrecy, meaning that not only could no components leave the Keighley factory, but all word of the project had to stay there too,” said Street.

“Selection, induction and training for the 15 permanent staff and 50-plus temps was as scrupulous as we have ever seen.”

Valley commercial director Jonathan Haggas praised the quality of staff that Relay managed to attract, and said the end result was one of the most sophisticated interactive kiosks ever produced.

The kiosks were sent around the world to enable customers to get a taste of the new Xbox 360, a next-generation games console that can also play music and DVDs or display digital photographs.

“The unit promoted the Xbox so well that all the available units were sold on the first day of release,” said Haggas.