Holiday Gaming Gift Guide 2021

It’s Cyber Monday, the new Black Friday, since no one wants to go stand in crowds at WalMart anymore. If you’ve got a Nerdd in your life, and you want to get them something great for gaming, here are some easy wins, at various different price points.

First, there are fun, popular new games, then a few things broken up depending on how your gamer plays, and lastly some non-game gifts that gamers tend to enjoy.

There are no affiliate links in this article. I get no money from you taking my advice.

Popular Games

It Takes Two ($40)

This might be The Nerdd Pick for this year, and we’ve talked about it before. This is a wonderful 2-player cooperative game, that can either be played from the same couch (local) or from two different homes (online). It follows a wonderful story of a married couple, on the edge of divorce, working hard to save their relationship for the sake of their young daughter. It’s a great game, and a great gift for someone who you’d like to connect with, through video games.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy ($60)

Superhero video games are very…iffy. Most often they aren’t good, but every now and then one comes around that seems to actually be worth playing, and this year the Guardians of the Galaxy game seems to be that. In addition to being a fun galaxy-spanning adventure, the writing is also more than just a way to get from one action scene to the next.

Skyrim ($50)

It has been a full decade since Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim came out, and it’s still just as popular as ever. Sure, Todd Howard has released this game on every single possible platform, including the Amazon Alexa, but it has a staying power that is certainly noticeable regardless. For the 10 year anniversary, the Skyrim: Anniversary Edition includes the core game, the three DLCs Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn, and a ton of approved mods called the Creation Club. It’s an Ultimate edition.

Resident Evil Village ($60)

A new Resident Evil movie is coming out, but the hype is nowhere near as big as the game was earlier this year. Between being an awesome game, the real hero has been the villain, Lady Dimitrescu. This tall vampire lady is terrifying and mesmerizing.

PlayStation

Do you know what specific gaming system your gamer uses? Well, if it’s Sony’s PlayStation, then these items specifically would be really cool!

PlayStation 5 ($500-$1,000+)

The newest console has been out for over a year, but it has come with challenges. If you haven’t noticed, the global supply chain has been knocked out, partly due to Covid, partly due to the Suez Canal fiasco. Well, while Playstation is still selling the console for around $500, they get bought so quickly, and resold that it is hard to find one under a grand. So take that information how you will.

PlayStation Store Gift Card ($X)

These can vary, because for those digital downloads, they cost money. These gift cards are specifically for purchasing games that they can download directly onto their system.

PlayStation Plus Membership ($10/month)

PlayStation has their own subscription service, that gives them all kinds of benefits, including a cool free game every month. These memberships are more price locked, but are a gift that will be enjoyed for months to come.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart ($70)

This game is only for the PlayStation 5, so double check that your nerdd has one, since they are still very hard to come by. This is the 16th installment in this series, dating back to 2002.

Xbox

Again, it is helpful to know what system your gamer plays on. If it’s an Xbox, then these items are specific to them that they might enjoy.

Xbox Series X/S ($500-$1000)

Once again, the new system seems hard to come by. This time, instead of the console being bought and resold, it seems like the US is importing the console from other countries, and selling them here. Of course, this hikes up the price the same amount anyway, so it really doesn’t help.

Xbox Gift Card ($X)

These can vary, because for those digital downloads, they cost money. These gift cards are specifically for purchasing games that they can download directly onto their system.

Xbox Game Pass ($10/month)

Xbox has their own subscription service, that gives them all kinds of benefits, including discounts to future purchases. These memberships are more price locked, but are a gift that will be enjoyed for months to come.

Halo Infinite – ($60)

This is the 6th main entry in this Xbox exclusive series that has helped define what modern video games look like. If you’re Xbox player is a loyalist (meaning they always get Xbox) then they will surely be looking forward to this game, that doesn’t actually release until December 8th, but you can pre-order it now.

Nintendo

The last of the big major consoles, if your gamer plays on Nintendo, specifically the Nintendo Switch, then these are items specific for them.

Nintendo Switch ($380)

If they still haven’t gotten a Nintendo Switch, but they are asking for one, the price has gone down since the system was released. However, this is also an option for the Lite, which doesn’t have all the same features (no removable joy cons, can’t connect to the TV), but it can still play all the games.

Switch Carrying Case ($12)

As the Switch is a portable system, it’s always nice to get a carrying case for one. Try to find out what is their favorite Nintendo game, because you can probably find a carrying case that is designed after it for that extra awesome look. (I have a Breath of the Wild case personally)

Nintendo eShop Gift Card ($X)

Just like the other systems, you can digitally buy games on the Nintendo eShop, so this will help them find games they want.

Nintendo Switch Online Membership ($4/month)

Nintendo has their own subscription service, that gives them all kinds of benefits, including playing over 70 classic NES/SNES games. These memberships are more price locked, but are a gift that will be enjoyed for months to come.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl ($60/$120)

A new Pokémon game has been released, and just like always there are two versions of it. Don’t be too worried about getting the wrong version, because they are nearly identical in every way, besides a few different collectibles (Pokemon). The idea is that if you have one, and your friend has the other, then you can play and trade together.

More

Maybe you aren’t sure what they play, or you want something a bit more cost-affordable. Well, here are some more options for you to look into.

Fortnite V-Bucks ($10-$1,000)

Have they been playing the popular game Fortnite? Well the game is free, but there are fun things you can add to the game for a cost, specifically fun outfits. V-Bucks are the digital currency, but even 100 V-Bucks can get them something cool. A new season comes out next week too, so it’s a good time to.

Steam Gift Card ($X)

This is really only if your gamer plays on the computer, and not on an actual console. Steam is (generally) the place to go to get the big name games on your PC.

New Controller ($30+)

Honestly, controllers only last for so long. After a while the buttons start to stick, or the directional sticks start to pull to one direction, or something. So it’s a nice gift to just get a new controller, so that they can toss out the old one that they don’t really like to use anymore.

Headset ($30)

Do they talk to their friends while they play? If so, it might be nice to get a nicer headset, one that stays comfortable after a few hours of playing, or has a better microphone so that their friends can hear them better without having to shout.

VR Playstation or Oculus ($350+)

This is a major upgrade, only if you know they are already getting the new system perhaps. There are games coming out that are in Virtual Reality, and so it requires a special headset. PlayStation has a really great system already, but another option is to get an Oculus headset. Make sure you do a lot of research before purchasing one of these, because it is very easy to get something like this wrong if you aren’t careful.

Hot Topic Gift Card ($X)

This last one doesn’t actually get any games or gaming items. Hot Topic is a store where you can get fun merchandise based on the games you play. So Legend of Zelda hats, Minecraft swords, League of Legends coffee mugs. Whatever game or movie they like, they can probably find something cool for it at Hot Topic.

What games are you most excited for this year? Let us know in the comments below!