Best Gifts for Gamers of 2022
Adult and kid gamers can be tough to buy for, especially if they already have their favorite and most-anticipated game titles of the year. Fortunately, SPY’s got your back with experts on all things gaming related to help you find that perfect gift for under the tree or last-minute stocking stuffer.
You may have already checked out our list of best Christmas gifts, or even our list of the 50 best toys, but we’ve also taken the time to round up the 32 best gifts for gamers you can find. We scoured the internet for interesting items from GameStop, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble to help you check off everything on your shopping list.
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While it’s obvious to go for things like extra controllers, popular games, new releases, and even the hottest consoles themselves, there are tons of options outside of that which will get everyone excited about their gifts. We’ve found everything from trading card game booster sets and giant bags of TTRPG dice to tie-in books and streaming accessories.
If you’re worried about shipping delays making your gifts arrive late, many stores offer curbside or in-store pickup with online ordering, ensuring you get the perfect gift exactly when you need it. Even with in-store pickup, you’ll want to hurry if you want to get your hands on some of our picks for gamer gift ideas.
Tabletop Games
1. Pathfinder Beginner Box
GREAT STARTER KIT
Know someone who is a fan of D&D, but wants to branch out into other TTRPGs? The Pathfinder Beginner Box has everything you need to start playing and building your own adventures. You’ll get a handbook for rules, a book to help build your own campaigns, monster and character tokens, and a full dice set! You’ll also get some character sheets and reference cards so you can craft your own heroes and spells as you take on a brand new game setting.
Buy: Pathfinder Beginner Box $31.82 (orig. $39.99) 20% OFF
2. Dungeons & Dragons Worldbuilder’s Journal
CRAFT CUSTOM ADVENTURES
This is the perfect gift for anyone who is a new or veteran Dungeon Master. The journal contains 365 prompts that help to craft new characters, spells, items, and story arcs. Whether you’re crafting a complete homebrew campaign, or just want to add your own flavor to available adventure modules, the Worldbuilder’s Journal can help you organize your ideas.
Buy: The Worldbuilder’s Journal of Legendary Adventures $11.69 (orig. $16.99) 31% OFF
3. Chessex Pound-O-Dice
FOR DICE HOARDERS
Know someone who loves collecting dice? The Pound-O-Dice from Chessex contains 80-100 resin dice, including an exclusive, complete set that is only available in this product. The variety of colors and styles of dice is great for high damage rolls, creating backup sets, or keeping on-hand for players who forgot their own dice sets.
Buy: Chessex Pound-O-Dice $24.51 (orig. $35.00) 30% OFF
4. Host Your Own: Murder Mystery on the Night Train
BEST PARTY GAME
Know someone who loves hosting game nights? This murder mystery game is made for up to 13 players to work together to solve a crime aboard a passenger train. Each player is assigned a character and secret trait, while the host can either play along or simply make sure everyone is having fun. There are also awards for things like best acting and best costume to give out to friends when you’re done. There are 3 endings, allowing friends to revisit the mystery at another party.
Buy: Host Your Own Murder Mystery on the Night Train $49.99
5. Hunt A Killer: Death at the Dive Bar
FOR TRUE CRIME FANS
Hunt A Killer creates immersive murder mystery games that are perfect for true crime fans. You can either play solo or with up to 4 other friends to unravel clues, comb through hand-crafted evidence, and weed out suspects. And if you want more, they have a monthly subscription service where you get a new mystery each time.
Buy: Hunt A Killer: Death at the Dive Bar Strategy Game $29.99
VIDEO GAMES
1. Osmo Coding Starter Kit
BEST STEM TOY FOR KIDS
Got kids who are interested in making their own games? This coding kit works with your iPad to teach kids how to make their own music loops, game levels, and solve coding puzzles. The kit comes with 31 tiles and 3 games kids can mix and match together to make their very own games. They can work on their own or with others to solve over 60 puzzles, learning how different coding sequences affect outcomes on-screen.
Buy: Osmo – Coding Starter Kit for iPad $75.99 (orig. $99.99) 24% OFF
2. Metroid Dread Amiibo 2-Pack
BEST SWITCH ADD-ON
This amiibo 2-pack includes both a Samus and an E.M.M.I. figure. Scanning Samus immediately gives players an extra health tank, and daily scans give a health bonus. The E.M.M.I figure gives a Missle+ tank, while daily scans provide extra missile ammo. The figures also make great collectibles for Metroid fans.
Buy: Metroid Dread amiibo 2-Pack $29.99
3. Xbox Series X Charging Stand
BEST XBOX SERIES X ACCESSORY
Xbox Series X fans can keep their games and accessories organized while charging controllers and keeping their console at optimal temperatures. The stand has storage space for up to 10 game cases, a headset stand, and dual controller charging slots.
It also comes with two rechargeable battery packs so you never have to worry about dead controllers ever again. And with integrated USB ports, you can also charge your phone, tablet, or wireless peripherals.
Buy: Charging Stand With Cooling Fan for Xbox Series X $49.99
4. PlayStation 5 Charging Station
BEST PS5 ACCESSORY
PlayStation 5 owners can keep their games organized while protecting their console from overheating and charging controllers. Dual fans draw waste heat down and away from the console, and a control switch lets you set fan speeds or shut them off completely for silent operation. You can fit up to 12 games in the organizer slots, and the dual controller station brings gamepads up to full charge in about 2 hours.
5. Arcate1UP Street Fighter II Champion Edition
BEST ARCADE CABINET
This cabinet from Arcade1UP is the perfect gift for the gamer who has everything, or someone who collects retro games. This cabinet has a list of 12 games, including the iconic Street Fighter II franchise, a riser pedestal, and licensed stool for more comfortable playing. You can take on opponents solo or play against friends. The classic controls, lit marquee, and classic soundtrack will turn any room into your own personal arcade.
Buy: Arcade1UP Street Fighter II Champion Edition $599.99
TRADING CARD GAMES
1. Magic: The Gathering 2021 Arena Starter Kit
BEST FOR MTG NEWCOMERS
This two-deck set is perfect for newcomers to Magic: The Gathering and traditional MTG players looking for new ways to play. It includes a Blue-Red high damage deck as well as a Green-Black life drain deck. Each deck has a foil card, 4 non-foil rare cards, basic lands, and creatures from popular MTG sets. The set also has a digital code to unlock each deck in MTG Arena Online. The included rulebook helps new players get started and helps veteran players introduce friends to the game.
Buy: Magic: the Gathering 2021 Arena Starter Kit $16.04 (orig. $19.45) 18% OFF
2. Pokemon TCGP: Fusion Strike Elite Trainer Box
BEST POKEMON TCG EXPANSION
Some of you may be surprised to learn that Pokemon cards aren’t just for collecting! This Fusion Strike expansion box set contains 8 booster decks, 45 energy cards, 65 card protector sleeves, 6 damage dice, 2 condition markers, a coin, rulebooks for learning the new Sword and Shield mechanics, and storage box. It’s a great addition to any Pokemon TCG player to expand their current deck or build a new one to challenge tournament players.
Buy: Pokemon Trading Card Game Fusion Strike Elite Trainer Box $39.99
3. Yu-Gi-Oh 2021 Tin of Ancient Battles
BEST YU-GI-OH ADD-ON
This booster deck tin is perfect for both veteran and newbie Yu-Gi-Oh TCG players. It contains 3 packs, each with 1 prismatic rare, 2 ultra rares, 2 super rares, one rare, and 12 common cards. The tin itself can be used as a decorative storage tin for your favorite decks.
Buy: Yu-Gi-Oh! 2021 Tin of Ancient Battles $19.99
BOOKS
1. The Ultimate History of Video Games by Steven L. Kent
BEST NON-FICTION
This book chronicles just a fraction of the nearly 50 year history of video games, from old-school arcades to home consoles and handhelds, Steven L. Kent interviews industry pros and presents thorough research on each topic. It also covers pop culture phenomena caused by the gaming industry, including the infamous coin shortage caused by Space Invaders, Nintendo’s rise from a playing card company to a multi-billion-dollar international company, and the rise and fall of Sega as a gaming powerhouse.
Buy: The Ultimate History of Video Games, Vol. 1 by Steven L. Kent $25.00
2. The Witcher Boxed Set
BEST TIE-IN BOOKS
This box set contains the first three books of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series. The fantasy series follows the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter, as he travels the world taking on contracts and preparing for the birth of a prophesied child. Fans of the games and show alike will love to sink their teeth into this immersive, enchanting world of magic, elves, and warriors.
Buy: The Witcher Boxed Set $31.99 (orig. 39.99) 20% OFF
3. Halo: The Fall of Reach
BEST VIDEO GAME PREQUEL BOOK
This book is a prequel to the entire Halo franchise, giving readers the origin story of John 117; also known as Master Chief. It follows John 117 as he is plucked from a colony of Earth and enrolled in a top-secret military program run by Dr. Catherine Halsey to create the ultimate soldier. It also tells the story of how Cortana, Master Chief’s companion AI, came to be as well as the very beginnings of the war with the Flood.
Buy: Halo: The Fall of Reach $14.99 (orig. 16.99) 12% OFF
4. SLAY by Brittney Morris
BEST YA
By day, Kiera Johnson is a 17-year-old honors student and one of just a handful of Black students at Jefferson Academy. By night, she joins thousands of Black gamers in a secret multiplayer on-line role-playing card game, SLAY. But that’s not her only secret: no one, not even her family and boyfriend, know that she is the developer of the game.
When a teen in Kansas City is murdered over an in-game dispute, the media brings the world of SLAY to light, labeling it a racist, violent hub for criminals. Kiera is then set on a path to protect her secret identity as well as her game while also learning what it means to be unapologetically Black in a world intimidated by Blackness.
Buy: SLAY by Brittney Morris (Paperback) $12.99
5. We Are Watching Eliza Bright by A.E. Osworth
BEST ADULT FICTION
This book follows Eliza Bright as she lands her dream job as a senior game coder at a top developer studio and is thrown into the public eye after she reports her boss for workplace harassment. The novel takes a hard look at toxic work environments in the gaming industry, and the women and men who are punished for standing up to sexual harrassment and workplace abuse.
It draws from real-world incidents such as GamerGate and high-profile sexual harrassment cases to shed light on the Internet’s role in cultivating male rage and privilege while silencing women who dare to challenge the status quo.
Buy: We Are Watching Eliza Bright by A.E. Osworth (Hardcover) $23.49 (orig. $28.00) 16% OFF
GAMER GEAR
1. NES Controller Metal Water Bottle
HYDRATE IN STYLE
This lightweight, metal water bottle features a wraparound print of the classic NES controller design. It can hold up to 20 ounces, so you can stay hydrated in style. The water bottle is made of metal for durability and reusability, helping to reduce your plastic waste.
Buy: NES Controller Metal Water Bottle $17.99
2. Philips Hue Play Smart Light
STEP UP YOUR AMBIENT LIGHTING
The Philips Hue Play Smart Light lets you create a custom backlight or ambience lighting for your gaming room. You can customize your light with over 16 million colors, and you can even sync the lamp to your game audio or music for reactive lighting. It’s perfect for coordinating with RGB computer components and peripherals or adding visual flare to streams.
The light works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Homekit for hands-free voice controls, and you can sync it with other Hue products with the companion app. You can expand your lighting by plugging up to three Smart Lights into the same power cord, helping you create a custom lighting scheme without cluttering your space with cables and cords.
Buy: Philips Hue Play White & Color Smart Light $69.00 (orig. $79.99) 14% OFF
3. HyperX QuadCast USB Microphone
GREAT FOR STREAMERS AND TEAM CHAT
The HyperX QuadCast is an affordable, high-quality USB microphone that is great for both streamers and casual players who want to chat with friends. It has 4 polar patterns to suit your mic placement, and it comes with a built-in shock mount to reduce vibrations that can distort your voice. You can use the included stand to place the mic on your desk or use the included arm mount thread for mounting the mic on a boom arm for more placement options.
A tap-to-mute feature makes it easy to turn your mic on and off when you need to have a conversation with someone in the room. The mic works with broadcast software like OBS and XSplit as well as voice chat programs like Skype and Discord.
Buy: HyperX QuadCast USB Condenser Microphone $99.99 (orig. $139.99) 29% OFF
4. Elgato Stream Deck Mini
ELEVATE YOUR STREAMS
The Elgato Stream Deck Mini is a must-have for streamers and content creators. The 6 LCD buttons can be customized with gifs and icons, and with nesting folders, you can have almost infinite possibilities for inputs. You can use the Stream Deck mini to switch stream scenes, post to social media when you go live, play custom sound effects, change camera angles, and even change your lighting. It works with OBS, Streamlabs, and XSplit as well as Twitch and Youtube to help elevate your game streams.
Buy: Elgato Stream Deck Mini $79.99
5. Corsair MM900 Polaris RGB Mouse Pad
GREAT RGB ACCESSORY
This mousepad from Corsair is designed to coordinate with other RGB peripherals and components while giving you plenty of room to work and pixel-precise movement. You can choose either a hard plastic or woven fabric surface to suit your preferences, and the 15 RGB zones can be set to different colors and lighting effects. You can sync the MM800 to your other Corsair products with iCUE, and the USB passthrough lets you connect flash drives, mice, and other peripherals without taking up USB ports on your tower.
Buy: Corsair MM800 Polaris RGB Mouse Pad $59.99
6. MATEIN Laptop Backpack
FOR GAMERS ON-THE-GO
This backpack is designed to fit up to a 17-inch laptop, making it easy to take your gaming laptop with you on vacation, work trips, or to a friend’s house. The front pocket unzips a full 180-degrees, making it easy for TSA to check your bag at security. The water resistant fabric protects your electronics from moisture, while an external USB port lets you charge devices on-the-go. The back of the bag has an anti-theft pocket, placing valuables like your wallet and passport between your bag and your body, keeping them safe from would-be pickpockets.
Buy: Matein 17-Inch Laptop Backpack $69.99
7. Gunnar Optiks Vayper
BEST BLUE LIGHT GLASSES
Gamers spend a good chunk of time staring at screens, and the Vayper glasses from Gunnar Optiks are designed to protect your eyes from harmful UV and blue light. The amber-tinted lenses have an anti-reflective coating to improve visibility and further reduce eye strain, and you can also get prescription lenses. The frame is made of durable metal, weighing in at just 23 grams, making them tough and lightweight enough for daily wear. The glasses come with a microfiber pouch for storage and cloth for cleaning as well as a 1 year warranty.
Buy: Gunnar Optiks Vayper Blue Light Gaming Glasses $79.99
STOCKING STUFFERS
1. Console Gift Cards
GREAT FOR DIGITAL GAMES
Gift cards are a safe go-to gift for gamers who are difficult to buy for. Each console has their own versions that come in multiple denominations, up to $100, so you can help friends buy new games, console themes, icons, and even movies.
Buy: PlayStation Store Gift Card $10.00
Buy: Nintendo eShop Gift Card $20.00
2. Steam Gift Cards
PERFECT FOR PC GAMERS
Steam dominates the PC gaming market, and they have their own gift cards. They come in multiple denominations, allowing gamers to load up their store wallet and purchase thousands of available titles; or save up for the Steam Summer Sale or Holiday Sale to score some sweet deals.
3. Pre-Paid Online Services Cards
FOR ONLINE MULTIPLAYER
These cards let console gamers play online with friends, access exclusive services like Xbox GamePass or PlayStation Vue, and gain console-specific rewards like loyalty points, avatars, and menu themes.
Buy: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate $14.99
4. Fortnite V-Bucks
IN-GAME CURRENCY
Fortnite V-Bucks are an in-game currency players can use to buy character costumes, weapons, emotes, and other in-game items. They come in multiple denominations, and since Fortnite is super popular with kids, they allow parents to control spending and eliminate surprise credit card charges.
5. The Legend of Zelda UNO
A CLASSIC, REDESIGNED
This is a redesign of the classic UNO card game. Each card features a symbol or character found across the Legend of Zelda franchise, and there’s even a brand-new Triforce Wild Card. This card forces your opponent to play a specific color card that ALSO has a triforce on it, and if they don’t have one, they must draw three cards.
Buy: Uno The Legend of Zelda: GameStop Exclusive $7.99
6. Hallmark Animal Crossing Tom Nook Ornament
CHARACTER KEEPSAKE
This is a great keepsake for Animal Crossing fans. Tom Nook is dressed in a tropical print shirt and khaki shorts similar to what he wears in New Horizons. The ornament is almost 3 inches tall, giving Tom Nook plenty of detail to stand out on your Christmas tree.
Buy: Hallmark Animal Crossing Tom Nook Christmas Tree Ornament $5.39 (orig. 8.99) 40% OFF
7. Infinity Cube Fidget Toy
STAY FOCUSED
This fidget toy helps keep your mind focused and hands busy in between online matches or while you’re working. It’s made of durable metal connections and plastic cubes for a nice, hefty feel in your hand as you flip and fold the toy. It comes in three colors (black, steel and gold, and neon green) to suit your personal style or complement your desk decor.
Buy: Infinity Cube Fidget Toy $8.95
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