Entertainment retailers were lifted by rising sales of computer games last year, according to the Entertainment Retailers Association.

Entertainment retailers, such as HMV and Game, increased their business 5.1 per cent in value in 2008, helped by a 3.8 per cent computer games volume rise, despite the collapses of Woolworths and Zavvi.

Games software accounted for 36.7 per cent of the entertainment market in 2008, with games for Nintendo’s Wii and DS being the key drivers of sales.

Software sales were just behind video and DVD sales, which accounted for 40.5 per cent of the total, while music represented 22.8 per cent.

The Entertainment Retailers Association director general Kim Bayley said: “The success of video games is helping entertainment retailers withstand financial crisis.”