TROUBLED computer games retailer Game has put itself up for sale in a last-ditch bid to stave off financial collapse.

Its quarterly rent bill is due in a fortnight and failure to pay its landlords could push it into administration, jeopardising 10,000 jobs and wiping out investors.

A national Sunday newspaper said advisory firm Rothschild has been appointed to find a buyer for the business, which includes 600 UK shops, but that completing a deal in such a short time-frame will be difficult.

The company has a store in Spurriergate, York, and Monk’s Cross. The Press reported in 2010 that it closed its York depot at Clifton Moor with the loss of about 80 full and part-time jobs to centralise its business at its Hampshire headquarters.

In 2007, Game bought Gamestation, which was set up in York.

The retailer’s trading difficulties deepened in recent weeks, despite it agreeing revised lending facilities with its banks last month.

But the loan was not enough to reassure suppliers, with Game reportedly losing the rights to sell keenly awaited fighting game Street Fighter X Tekken.

Game has already signalled that losses for the year to the end of January will be about £18 million.