It’s that time of year again. Not only is Thanksgiving just around the corner, but so is Christmas. It’s time to start thinking of present ideas, and if you have family and friends who are gamers, it’s not too difficult to find a gift that brings a smile to their face.
First, you’re going to want to determine what console(s) your giftee has. Is this someone who is always talking about Sony games like The Last of Us and inFamous ? Or maybe they love Mario and the rest of the Nintendo gang.
Once you know what platform they like, you can check out our gallery below to get a few ideas for non-game items. We’re talking headsets, accessories, and other great gifts that gamers love. There are gifts both big and small included, so set your price limit and you should be on your merry way in no time.
You may also want to wait until Black Friday weekend before picking up one of these items. There are sure to be deals on PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U items, so you can save a few bucks if you’re patient.
10 Great Gift Ideas for PS4, Xbox One and Wii U Owners
PS4: Kelux Thumb Grips (8-pack)
PRICE: $9.99
BUY IT NOW: Amazon
The PS4's DualShock 4 Controller has an issue: its analog sticks tend to be slippery and suffer from early wear and tear. To prevent your giftee's thumb sticks from wearing too much, you can buy them a set of thumb grips that serve as covers. There different texture types included, allowing for varying levels of leverage and grip.
PS4: PlayStation Camera
PRICE: $59.99
BUY IT NOW: Best Buy
The PlayStation Camera is a great addition to the arsenal of any social gamer. Not only does its built-in microphone allow for easy communication and even navigation of the PS4 UI through voice commands, but its Dual Lenses are great for sharing emotion during live streams (i.e. Twitch).
PS3/PS4/Vita: PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset
PRICE: $99.99
BUY IT NOW: Best Buy
Nothing can beat the immersion of strapping a set of headphones to the head when playing a video game. The PlayStation Gold Wireless has been the most popular headset solution for the PS3 and PS4 for more than a year. It's reliable, and especially great for social gaming given it has a high quality microphone built-in. It's worth noting that it can be used cross-platform, so your giftee can use it on PC, PS Vita, and more.
PS3/PS4/Vita: PlayStation Plus 12-Month Membership
PRICE: $49.99
BUY IT NOW: Best Buy
PlayStation Plus has become one of the best deals in gaming during the past couple years. While it's required to play multiplayer on the PS4, it also provides free monthly games for PS4, PS3, and PS Vita. This is a safe bet for any PlayStation gamer.
One: PDP Kinect Mount Kit
PRICE: $19.99
BUY IT NOW: Best Buy
Shockingly, the Xbox One bundles that include the Kinect don't come with any form of mount for the device. So, many gamers have been left standing their sensor on top of their TV, which is a hazard. Enter the PDP Kinect Mount Kit, which provides all the materials necessary to not only mount the Kinect, but cover its camera for privacy when needed.
One: Play & Charge Kit
PRICE: $24.99
BUY IT NOW: Best Buy
Inexplicably, in a day and age where Lithium Ion batteries are standard, Microsoft decided to power its Xbox One Controller with AA batteries. Thankfully, there's a solution. The Play & Charge Kit includes a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery that holds a charge of up to 20 hours. A charge cable is also included, which allows for connected play as well.
One/360: Xbox One Stereo Headset
PRICE: $59.99
BUY IT NOW: Best Buy
The Xbox One comes with a headset included, but it's really just a microphone strapped to a headband. For immersion in games and high-quality communication, the Xbox One Stereo Headset is a great choice. The headphones are comfortable, and the audio experience is much better than a standard TV or stereo output. A microphone is also built-in for communication.
One/360: Xbox Live 12 Month Gold Membership
PRICE: $59.99
BUY IT NOW: Best Buy
Xbox Live has remained a standard for excellence in the console online gaming arena. As with the Xbox 360, the Xbox One requires a Gold subscription to play online. So, Xbox Live Gold is a necessity for any Xbox gamer. This subscription does stack upon any existing one, so it's a safe buy if your giftee plays Xbox games.
Wii U: Pro Controller
PRICE: $49.99
BUY IT NOW: Best Buy
The Wii U GamePad is a great piece of technology, but isn't perfect. Having a second screen streaming video feed as you play, draining a mere five hours of battery life in the process is a real pain. Thankfully, the Pro Controller fixes all that. Not only is it more comfortable to hold than the GamePad, but it has 80 hours of battery life. If nothing else, it adds a controller to the living room for local multiplayer fun.
Wii U: GameCube Controller Adapter
PRICE: $19.99
BUY IT NOW: Best Buy (November 11th release date)
The GameCube Controller is still regarded as one of the top three controllers of all-time. Using the GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U, your giftee can make use of GameCube Controllers laying around the house (or buy more) to play with up to eight people. Games such as Super Smash Bros. for Wii U will support eight players, making it a winner for the living room.