The best gifts for the gamer in your life

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In truth, the word “gamer” is next to meaningless. Videogames and the people who play them aren’t a special club anymore; they’re the norm, and they’re big business. As a result, gaming-related items are regularly among the most popular things to shop during the holiday season.

Still, if you aren’t big on the hobby, finding the right gift for someone who does can still be overwhelming. So to help, we’ve compiled a few good buys for anyone who likes to traverse those virtual worlds.

A new console

WikipediaChances are you already have one of the latest game consoles if you play with any regularity, but if you haven’t yet picked one up, now’s a great time to do so. Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One have just about fully supplanted their predecessors, and each have built up a robust library of games since launching two years ago.

Each has the usual range of exclusives, so if you’re big on Halo, get an Xbox, and if you need the new Uncharted, go with PlayStation. In reality, though, big-ticket exclusives are becoming increasingly rare, and outside of a few UI idiosyncrasies, the two systems function in much the same way. Really, what’s best for you usually depends on which one is more popular with your circle of friends.

Those are the two major players, but every other console has its benefits. Nintendo’s Wii U is likely going to be replaced in the next two years, but it’s still the only option if you need your Mario or Zelda fix. On the big screen, at least —the 3DS XL might have the best selection of any modern machine, though a handheld won’t be for everyone.

On the flipside, I can’t really recommend the PlayStation Vita, since Sony has all but abandoned it over the last few months. There is value there, however, if you dig the quirkier stuff, or ever wanted to play your PS4 remotely.

Ones to consider:
Sony PlayStation 4 — Uncharted: Nathan Drake Collection Bundle (500GB), $299.99, available at Amazon.
Microsoft Xbox One — Gears of War: Ultimate Edition Bundle (500GB), $343, available at Amazon.
Nintendo Wii U — Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Set (32GB), $319, available at Amazon.
New Nintendo 3DS XL (Black), $174.99, available at Amazon.
Sony PlayStation Vita (WiFi), $169.99, available at Amazon.

Subscriptions

WikipediaIf you grab one of the big two, however, you’ll need to pay a little bit extra for a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription. Tech Insider has a good breakdown of why that’s the case with the PS4, but the same idea applies to Microsoft’s service — they’re required to play most games online, and every month you’ll get a few free games for your patronage. Is paying a $50-60 annual fee after dropping $300 on a new machine kind of a bummer? Sure, but it’s at least possible to get that value back.

PlayStation Plus Subscription (12 Month), $49.99, available at Amazon.
Xbox Live Gold (Online Game Code), $59.99, available at Amazon.

Some controllers

WikipediaAll of these devices come with at least one controller by default, but you’ll obviously want a few more if you’re often around a buddy or two. You can also configure Sony or Microsoft’s gamepads to work with a PC, if you play there and aren’t always comfortable with the usual mouse and keyboard setup.

As an aside, if you own a PS4, I’d recommend throwing a few bucks at some analog stick covers. Not because they make things particularly more precise — though they can help — but because the DualShock 4’s joysticks have a history of wearing thin after a year or so of direct abuse.

Sony DualShock 4, $49.99, available at Amazon.
Microsoft Xbox One Controller, $57.98, available at Amazon.
Microsoft Xbox One Elite Controller, $149, available at Amazon.
Nintendo Wii U Pro Controller, $49.99, available at Amazon.
Grip-It Analog Stick Covers, $4.88, available at Amazon.

Some chargers

WikipediaIf you do wind up with a handful of controllers, you’ll notice that recharging the lot of them can be kind of a pain, especially if you regularly play with someone else. A multiple-device charging station like the two from Energizer below will speed that process up a bit.

Energizer 2X Charging System for Xbox One, $29.99 available at Amazon.
Energizer 2X Charging Station for PlayStation 4, $24.99, available at Amazon.

A headset

WikipediaToday’s consoles are more than just game players or media streamers — they’re also social hubs, outlets for easily catching up with friends and family around the world. That, and talking trash to strangers.

If you’re going to be doing all that fairly often, you’ll want a headset that’s clearer-sounding and more comfortable than the ones that come pre-packaged with your machine. The Kingston HyperX Cloud is just that — as we’ve noted before — and at its current price of $60, an excellent value as well.

Kingston HyperX Cloud, $59.99, available at Amazon.

A racing wheel

WikipediaThis is a more of a niche thing, but if you put a good deal of time into racing games like Forza Motorsport 6 or Project Cars, a racing wheel-style controller like the Logitech G29 Driving Force will open up the experience substantially. They tend to get replaced with every new generation of consoles, but they’ll turn your desk into a sort of makeshift arcade cabinet, and make you better at whatever racer game you’re playing.

Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel (PlayStation/PC), $394.95, available at Amazon.
Logitech G920 Driving Force Racing Wheel (Xbox One/PC), $399.99, available at Amazon.

A gaming laptop

WikipediaMost of this guide has been dedicated to the current consoles, but a muscular PC can still play the widest crop of games, from the new to the old to the weird. Really, it’s not even close. Plus, while the upfront cost of a PC is high, those games can usually be had for less than their console counterparts, so stick with it and you’ll earn that money back over time.

I recommend building your own desktop rig if you really want to make the PC your main gaming driver, but you’d be forgiven for picking up a powerful gaming laptop like the Alienware 17 if you wanted a more straightforward entry point. A more affordable option like the Lenovo Ideapad Y700 can do the job, too, if you’re on a budget.

Alienware 17 (Core i7, 16GB RAM, 1TB HDD + 256GB SSD, GTX 970M GPU), $1,649.99, available at Amazon.
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 (Core i7, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD), $928, available at Amazon.

A gaming mouse and keyboard

WikipediaEven if you do opt for the laptop over the custom-built rig, you’ll want to stay far away from a trackpad for virtually any game you play. A top-notch gaming mouse like the Razer DeathAdder will be miles more comfortable and responsive, whether you’re playing Counter-Strike or simply browsing the web.

If you stick with the desktop, it might be worth looking into a keyboard upgrade as well. The Corsair K70 is a great mechanical choice there, with its detachable palmrest, individually backlights, and solid, clicky keys. It’s pricey, though, so try something like the CM Storm QuickFire Rapid if you need to save some cash.

Razer DeathAdder Gaming Mouse, $39.99, available at Amazon.
Corsair K70 Gaming Keyboard, $129.99, available at Amazon.
CM Storm QuickFire Rapid, $69.99, available at Amazon.

Hard drive upgrades

WikipediaAs our friends at TI have noted, the most annoying thing about today’s consoles is having all those enormous games bog down your system’s hard drive. If you grab a interchangeable replacement like the Seagate SSHD, however, you can give yourself more room and a general speed boost at the same time. And if you own an Xbox One, you can simply hook up an external hard drive like the Seagate Expansion and avoid opening up the device entirely.

Seagate Gaming SSHD (1TB), $76.99, available at Amazon.
Seagate Expansion (2TB), $81.99, available at Amazon.

Streaming tools

WikipediaAs noted above, the PS4 and Xbox One are social machines. As part of that, both allow you to easily stream and share your gameplay to sites like YouTube and Twitch.

Those functions are a bit limited, though, so if you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at “Let’s Playing,” a higher-end video capturer like the tried-and-true Elgato Game Capture HD60 will put out crisper footage. From there, a good mic like the Blue Yeti will let you talk over that video without sounding like you’re on a late 90s cell phone.

Elgato Game Capture HD60, $156.99, available at Amazon.
Blue Yeti USB Microphone (Blackout), $101.99, available at Amazon.

A media streamer

WikipediaThe Nvidia Shield isn’t the best media streamer for most people, but it might be the strongest, its 4K support sets it up well for the future, and it does a great job playing local media files through apps like Plex.

Most importantly for our purposes here, it also has stronger game support than any other device like it. Between Android TV’s surprisingly solid catalog and the ability to stream certain games from a (high-end) PC, it has a meatier selection than the mobile game retreads that populate a Fire TV or Apple TV. Plus, its controller is more or less an Xbox knockoff, which should make plenty of frequent players feel right at home.

Nvidia Shield + Remote, $199.99, available at Amazon.

Games

WikipediaPicking up some games is probably a good idea as well. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of great, relatively new ones to choose from. As with any type of art, taste in video games is always going to be subjective, but here’s a handful I’d personally find suitable for most people:

• Fallout 4 and The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt are both absorbing, technically astounding role-players that maintain a distinct feel while being absolutely massive. Destiny: The Taken King might be the most social game I’ve ever played, controls like a dream, and is the go-to choice if you can’t afford to pay $60 for something new every few weeks.

• Splatoon is about as inclusive as any shooter’s going to get, and more fun than most military-themed bullet-fests to boot. Until Dawn is everything glorious about campy horror movies, and has in-game choices that genuinely, for real, mean something. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain blends the riveting with the absurd as only Metal Gear Solid can. 

• Rocket League defines the term “playability,” and is the best competitive multiplayer game of the year. TI’s Ben Gilbert disagrees, but I found Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture to be a beautiful meditation on human suffering, with characters that act and talk as messily as real people do. Project Cars engulfs you in the nuances of racing the more you dig into it. 

• Undertale is a funny, subversive remix of the RPGs of yesteryear, and is among the most universally liked games of 2015. Bloodborne is gorgeously Gothic, and forces you to consider just how exhausting being a video game hero must actually be. And Super Mario Maker lets you make your own Super Mario levels, which is just awesome.

Alternatively, you could always get a gift card, and let your loved ones choose for themselves.

Xbox Gift Card, starts at $10, available at Amazon.
PlayStation Store Gift Card, starts at $10, available at Amazon.
Nintendo eShop Gift Card, starts at $20, available at Amazon.
Steam Gift Card, starts at $20, available at Target.