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

Fans splash out on consoles, virtual reality headsets and events as they defy spending gloom

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.