The holiday season is here, and it's time to find the perfect gift for our loved ones, which can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. Buying a gift for someone requires knowing their interests, and gamers have lots of common ones. For starters, gamers love to tinker with hardware, unwrap new blockbuster games, or even unbox a new console. But consoles and games can be quite expensive, so what do you do?
You don't have to think too hard because we've got all the answers. Our holiday gift guide offers budget-friendly options that will delight any gamer.
Best Holiday Gifts for Xbox Gamers
Xbox Design Lab Controller
Xbox controllers are great, but what makes them even better than the competition is that you can design them however you see fit. The Xbox Design Lab lets you change the colors and customize any Xbox controller as much as you want. Go one step beyond gifting a regular controller with the design lab and truly make one that reflects the personality of the gamer you cherish.
Xbox Game Pass Subscription
Xbox Game Pass is one of the best budget-friendly gifts you can give to any gamer, so long as they own either an Xbox console or a device that supports its library. This includes anything from a Windows PC to a smartphone to an Amazon Fire TV stick. It's perfect for introducing younger gamers to the medium without breaking the bank. The service also gets all Xbox first-party games like Indiana Jones and The Great Circle on day one, so gamers don't need to buy them separately.
There are four tiers of Game Pass - Core, Standard, Ultimate, and PC. The best option is to get a gift card for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes access to Xbox cloud gaming in select countries.
Xbox Series S
The Xbox Series S has always been a great entry point for new gamers, but its low storage space was always an issue. Fortunately, Microsoft's refresh of the console now includes 1 TB of storage, so you can download more than two Call of Duty titles. It's still under $400 and the console usually includes a bundled subscription to Xbox Game Pass, making it a sweet deal just in time for the holidays.
Best Holiday Gifts for PS5 Gamers
PlayStation Plus Subscription
PlayStation Plus has quietly become a strong competitor in the gaming subscription space. Sure, you may not get every first-party PlayStation Studios game released on day one on the service like Game Pass, but it's still very enticing with new games added to its catalog every month. It's perfect for gifting to new PlayStation console owners who want to catch up on iconic PlayStation franchises.
There are over three hundred games playable on your PS4 and PS5 through PS Plus, with most of PlayStation's legacy first-party titles including PS One, PS2, and PS3 games. It's also a better value if you buy an annual subscription over paying its monthly price, so go on, gift that special gamer a 12-month membership.
PlayStation Astro Bot DualSense Controller
If the Game Awards celebrated the best gaming controllers of the year, then PlayStation's Astro Bot DualSense Controller would easily sweep the category this time. The white-and-blue controller is based on the playful personality of the cute robot, who led 2024's Game of the Year winner. The controller is nice, but the pair of eyes on the touchpad is the cherry on top of an already well-rounded hardware.
Best Holiday Gifts for Nintendo Gamers
Nintendo eShop Gift Cards
It can be hard to track down what game would make for the best gift to someone. Why not let them choose the title themselves? You can simply gift them eShop credit and let them spend it however they see fit. Buying games from the eShop also rewards players with gold points, which can be used to get a discount on other games on the digital store.
CultureFly The Legend of Zelda Premium Collector's Box
Most of the gifts we've mentioned till now are single items, but the CultureFly collector's box includes goodies that almost anyone will appreciate during Christmas. It's just a bonus that it happens to be Zelda-themed! The Legend of Zelda Premium Collector's Box includes a satin varsity jacket, a mini-backpack, an LED light, a drink stein, socks, and a snapback hat, all for just $45.99 or less during the holiday sales.
SanDisk microSDXC Cards for Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch games don't require a lot of space, but given how most of us start hoarding a boatload of titles during the holiday sales, it's easy to run out of storage space. That's where the SanDisk microSDXC cards for the Switch come in, available in different sizes colored and themed around classic Nintendo game characters. We really like the 512 GB card for its cool teal color.
Nintendo Switch Lite: Hyrule Edition with Bonus Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack
Nintendo will be releasing the Switch 2 next year, so why get an original Switch now? Conventional wisdom suggests waiting for the new console, but the Switch Lite is a small and cheap package making it perfect for the current holiday season. The Hyrule Edition of the console comes with a bonus Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, which includes online play and a library of retro games. You can get the bundle for $209.99 making it a perfect gateway to Nintendo's console ecosystem for newer gamers.
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