Christmas is just around the corner and while everyone is sure to have a gamer or two in their lives to buy gifts for this holiday season, with such a wide variety of ways that people play it’s not always easy to find them the perfect gift. That’s why we’ve put together our Christmas gift guide this year with a focus on some of the more unique and useful products out there to give to the gamer who probably has everything else!
HIGH-PERFORMANCE STEELSERIES GEAR
The SteelSeries name is synonymous with top-quality gaming gear boasting incredible comfort and features, and with a range that suits all types of gamers there’s sure to be something perfect to put under the tree. Check out all the great SteelSeries products over at Amazon.
If you want our advice, you can’t go past the incredible Arctis Nova Pro wireless gaming headset for one of the best audio solutions money can buy, or if you’re thinking more budget-conscious the wired Arctis Nova 3 is a great option. For the hardcore PC gamers in your life, the Apex Pro TKL Wireless is always a fantastic keyboard option, and the Aerox 5 Wireless gaming mouse is a fantastic all-rounder so you can rest easy that you’re making a welcome choice no matter what they play.
And, of course, SteelSeries has just launched its first line of top-notch Alias gaming microphones, with the USB plug-and-play SteelSeries Alias or the fully-featured Alias Pro being a high-quality solution for gaming, streaming and content creation that’s simple to set up and powerful in tandem with the free SteelSeries Sonar software.
GAMING GIFT CARDS
It’s no secret that a cheeky gift card is always a great go-to for those last minute gifts, but this year in particular gaming gift cards are a better option than ever – not just because the range of online experiences continues to grow but it’s also easier to buy them than before.
Amazon, for example, has introduced the most comprehensive range of digital gaming cards we’ve seen in Australia to date with not just wallet top-ups for the PlayStation and Xbox digital stores or free-to-play games like Roblox and Fortnite, but full game downloads, DLC and pre-paid subscription cards for the Nintendo Switch. Take a look at the full range of digital gaming gift cards on Amazon right here.
Of course, for Xbox and/or PC gamers, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate makes for a fantastic-value gift, giving them access to literal hundreds of games that they can download and play across multiple devices and the cloud.
THIS YEAR’S HOTTEST GAMES
Looking for recommendations on 2023’s biggest and best game releases? Look no further. It’s been an absolutely massive year for excellent games, so there’s a good chance something here will go down a treat as a gift.
For PlayStation players looking for epic single-player adventures, you can’t go past two of the biggest PS5 exclusives this year – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Final Fantasy XVI. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora also launched very recently and looks incredible on the PS5, or you could opt for a great couch multiplayer experience with something like Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 Turbocharged, Street Fighter 6 or Diablo IV.
On the Switch, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Bros. Wonder remain the supreme options if they’re not already in heavy rotation. Otherwise there are some great, underrated gems that released this year like Pikmin 4 or the frantic, multiplayer fun of WarioWare: Move It!
And over on Xbox, Starfield is the obvious choice for budding explorers, while the ultra-realistic racing sim Forza Motorsport is sure to be a hit with the rev heads in your life.
EXTRA CONTROLLERS
An evergreen gift idea for just about any gamer across any platform, you really can’t go wrong with an extra controller. For those on PlayStation, there are a huge number of colour options with the standard DualSense Wireless Controller. If they’re a more hardcore gamer, you can step up to the class-leading DualSense Edge Wireless Controller with a more robust feature set, or if they’re someone who needs that extra bit of assistance when it comes to gaming, the just-launched Access Controller opens up a world of possibility.
Over on Xbox and PC, again there are a heap of great colour options that make for an excellent gift with either the standard, Elite Series 2 or Elite Series 2 Core controllers. It’s maybe a bit late to make it for Christmas but if you’re celebrating anything in the early new year a custom Xbox controller designed through Xbox Design Lab makes for an unforgettable gift.
THE GIFT OF VIRTUAL REALITY
If you’re looking to treat a loved one to an entirely new gaming experience, especially if they’re got just about everything else, there’s no better time to get them acquainted with the wide world of VR.
Granted, it’s a much higher price of entry in this realm, but the options are great and there’s a wealth of different games and apps available. The go-to these holidays will be the Meta Quest 3, which is a completely standalone device so they won’t need a console or other device to use it – they can just pop on the headset anywhere and start playing, exploring and creating. The Quest 3 also has great mixed reality features with full video passthrough enabling more unique interactions than ever before.
If they’re more of a PlayStation fan and enjoy top-notch, AAA gaming then the PlayStation VR2 will enable those bigger and more impressive VR experiences with cutting-edge graphics and immersive features like headset haptic feedback and eye tracking. Just keep in mind they’ll need a PS5 in order to use it.
ELGATO DEVICES FOR BUDDING CREATORS
If you’ve got a streamer-in-the-making amongst your friends and family these holidays, Elgato has a huge range of fantastic products designed to make their stream dreams come true. Whether it’s the flexible and intuitive Elgato Stream Deck+ to give them every control they could need at their fingertips, the Facecam Pro with its 4K, 60FPS capture or the winning trifecta of Wave DX microphone, Wave Mic Arm and Wave XLR audio mixer for the ultimate recording setup there’s bound to be a key piece of the content creation puzzle that Elgato (and you!) can help solve.
THE NEW LOOK PS5 CONSOLE
Whether they’re upgrading from the PS5, brand-new to the PlayStation ecosystem or just looking for that second console for the games room or bedroom, PlayStation’s just-launched new look, slimmer PS5 console could be a great option.
With a 30% reduced volume, larger 1TB storage and the option of adding in the new design PlayStation Vertical Stand it’s the best way to play PS5 right now. Like the previous model a cheaper, digital version is available as well – only this time with the option to buy and attach a separate 4K disc drive later on for the ultimate flexibility.
Take a look at the range of PS5 consoles available on Amazon here.
PlayStation also just released the new Pulse Explore wireless gaming earbuds, which make a great addition to a PS5 console as well as next year’s upcoming PlayStation Portal remote play device.
ENCHANTING TABLETOP EXPERIENCES
While video games and tech are all well and good as gift concepts go, there’s something to be said about a more tactile, more present kind of present that can bring people together these holidays.
Magic: The Gathering has seen a huge year for new set releases, and even if you’re shopping for someone who’s new to MtG or collectible card games in general there are some great sets designed around globally-recognisable properties like The Lord of the Rings or Doctor Who to entice them into the fold.
For even more uproarious gatherings around the table, you could try a Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set or Essentials Kit, or just take a punt on any of the massive number of great tabletop and board games to be found.
POWERFUL PC GAMING ON THE GO
No doubt a huge feature on Christmas wishlists in 2023 will be any number of the growing selection of top-notch devices for gaming on the go, based on PC architecture so folks can access their games from the Windows Store, Steam and plenty more all running natively on a fully-featured handheld.
While there are quite a few options, for our money the just-launched Lenovo Legion Go represents a great choice that’s incredibly versatile both in the power under the hood for playing the latest AAA games as well as the myriad control options available thanks to its innovative detachable Legion TrueStrike controllers. You can find out more about the Legion Go including where to buy one right here.
Another great option is the ASUS ROG Ally, which is a touch smaller and less feature-rich but still worth looking at for that gamer in your life who wants to take their adventures on the go without losing out on the biggest and best AAA experiences.
