Nintendo Switch and VR drive UK games sales to record £5bn

The UK games market broke the £5bn sales mark for the first-time last year as Nintendo's new hybrid Switch console boomed and virtual reality headsets flew off the shelves. Gaming fans forked out £5.11bn on consoles, games, hardware such as headsets and attending events – a 12.4% year-on-year rise – as the sector defied a wider downturn in consumer spending. Trade body Ukie said that there has been a "renaissance" in games consoles as Nintendo's hybrid home console-meets-handheld device proved as popular in the UK as it has globally. Console sales, including the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, grew 30% to £659m, reversing a sales decline since 2014. "It is clear that the console gaming market is now enjoying a renaissance," said Dorian Bloch, director, entertainment at GfK. "Nintendo's Switch has enjoyed the best [sales] start for a Nintendo home console since the mighty Wii back in 2006."